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Climate Change Will Hurt Half of U.S. Birds

Bird species in North America — including the bald eagle — are at risk of severe population decline by 2080 if the swift pace of global warming continues.

By Christine Stapleton

 

A seven-year study by scientists at the National Audubon Society found that global warming threatens the survival of nearly half the bird species in the continental United States and Canada, including the iconic bald eagle and Florida favorites such as the roseate spoonbill, sandhill crane and woodstork.

Of 588 bird species examined in the study, 314 species are classified "at risk." Of those, 126 species are at risk of severe declines by 2050, and an additional 188 species face a similar fate by 2080, with the potential for species extinctions if global warming continues on its current trajectory.

About 50 species whose ranges currently include Florida are included in the two categories -- climate-endangered and climate-threatened. The Audubon report, released Tuesday, says that hundreds of species not previously considered at-risk will be challenged to survive in a climate-changed future.

"Climate change is reshaping the birdlife of the continent," said Julie Wraithmell, Audubon Florida Director of Wildlife Conservation. Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns will force many of the continent's birds to seek out better places to nest and winter. "Some species will shift their range, but others will not have that flexibility."

Over seven years, Audubon Chief Scientist Gary Langham and other Audubon ornithologists analyzed more than 40 years of historical North American climate data and millions of historical bird records from the U.S. Geological Survey's North American Breeding Bird Survey and the Audubon Christmas Bird Count to understand the links between where birds live and the climatic conditions that support them.

The analysis identifies Florida as a critical climate stronghold for the continent's birds. Much of Florida's habitat has been converted to other uses; still more acreage is threatened by sea level rise.

Audubon today also launched a new web portal -- Audubon.org/Climate -- dedicated to understanding the links between birds and global warming.

(c)2014 The Palm Beach Post

 

Daniel Luzer is GOVERNING's news editor.
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