Extreme weather has variable effects on reproductive success of grassland songbirds at the northern extent of their range.

This article investigates how extreme weather events affect the reproductive success of seven grassland songbird species breeding near the northern edge of their ranges in Saskatchewan, Canada. Over a 10-year period, the study found that daily nest survival rates of five species, including three at-risk species—Sprague's Pipit (Anthus spragueii), Baird's Sparrow (Centronyx bairdii), and Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus)—declined with increasing precipitation, though the precipitation thresholds varied by species. Two species showed decreased nest survival associated with high temperatures, while fledgling numbers from successful nests were not significantly related to temperature or precipitation. The findings suggest that climate change–induced increases in extreme precipitation and temperature events may further reduce reproductive success of several grassland songbirds, posing additional challenges for their conservation, especially given ongoing habitat loss and degradation at the northern Great Plains.