Genetic ancestry plays a key role in the migration of Cory's shearwaters

To what extent do genes influence the migratory routes of birds? The factors that determine the long-distance migrations of seabirds are not yet fully understood. Now, a study published in the journal Molecular Ecology reveals that, in the case of Cory's shearwater, an individual's genetic ancestry is a more significant factor in their migratory decisions than their social environment in the breeding colony.