Microhabitat utilisation holds a pivotal role in shaping a species’ ecological dynamics and stands as a crucial concern for effective conservation strategies. Despite its critical importance, microhabitat use has frequently been addressed as static, centering on microhabitat preference. Yet, a dynamic microhabitat use that allows individuals to adjust to fine-scale spatio-temporal prey fluctuations, becomes imperative for species thriving in challenging environments. High-elevation ecosystems, marked by brief growing seasons and distinct abiotic processes like snowmelt, winds, and solar radiation, feature an ephemeral distribution of key resources. To better understand species’ strategies in coping with these rapidly changing environments, we delved into the foraging behaviour of the white-winged snowfinch Montifringilla nivalis, an emblematic high-elevation passerine. Through studying microhabitat preferences during breeding while assessing invertebrate prey availability, we unveiled a highly flexible microhabitat use process. Notably, snowfinches exhibited specific microhabitat preferences, favoring grass and melting snow margins, while also responding to local invertebrate availability. This behaviour was particularly evident in snow-associated microhabitats and less pronounced amid tall grass. Moreover, our investigation underscored snowfinches’ fidelity to foraging sites, with over half located within 10 m of previous spots. This consistent use prevailed in snow-associated microhabitats and high-prey-density zones. These findings provide the first evidence of dynamic microhabitat use in high-elevation ecosystems and offer further insights into the crucial role of microhabitats for climate-sensitive species. They call for multi-faceted conservation strategies that go beyond identifying and protecting optimal thermal buffering areas in the face of global warming to also encompass locations hosting high invertebrate densities.

微生境利用在塑造物种的生态动态方面发挥着关键作用，也是有效保护策略的重要关注点。尽管微生境的使用至关重要，但它经常被视为静态的，以微生境偏好为中心。然而，动态微生境的利用使个体能够适应精细的时空猎物波动，对于物种在充满挑战的环境中繁衍生息至关重要。高海拔生态系统以短暂的生长季节和独特的非生物过程（如融雪、风和太阳辐射）为特征，其特征是关键资源的分布短暂。为了更好地了解物种应对这些快速变化的环境的策略，我们深入研究了白翅雪雀Montifringilla nivalis （一种标志性的高海拔雀形目鸟类）的觅食行为。通过研究繁殖过程中的微生境偏好，同时评估无脊椎动物猎物的可用性，我们推出了高度灵活的微生境利用流程。值得注意的是，雪雀表现出特定的微生境偏好，喜欢草地和融化的雪缘，同时也对当地无脊椎动物的可用性做出反应。这种行为在与雪相关的微生境中尤其明显，而在高草丛中则不太明显。此外，我们的调查强调了雪雀对觅食地点的忠诚度，其中一半以上位于距先前地点 10 m 的范围内。这种一致的使用在与雪相关的微生境和高猎物密度区域盛行。这些发现提供了高海拔生态系统中动态微生境利用的第一个证据，并进一步深入了解微生境对气候敏感物种的关键作用。 他们呼吁采取多方面的保护策略，不仅要在全球变暖的情况下识别和保护最佳的热缓冲区域，还要涵盖无脊椎动物密度高的地区。