Birds fly into the latter half of the 21st century on a wing and a prayer

“The greatest threat our birds face today is global warming."

-  Dr. Gary Langham, chief scientist, National Audubon Society

A new report by the National Audubon Society shows the potential effects of global warming on birds by the year 2080. Rising global temperatures will alter the traditional habitable ranges of a critical mass of bird species throughout North America, either shrinking them outright or forcing species into new territory where they would have to adapt to different temperatures and precipitation rates.

More than half of the 588 North American bird species in the report were considered climate endangered (projected to lose more than half of their current range by 2050) or climate threatened (projected to lose more than half of their current range by 2080).

To get a sense of the magnitude of the proglem, look no further than this statistic provided in a statement by Dr. Gary Langham, the report's lead author and the National Audubon Society's chief scientist:

“Since 1600, only about nine bird species have gone extinct in continental North America, but we’re looking at half of North American bird species at risk by the end of this century.” 

Some other worrisome news:

- The bald eagle could lose up to 75 percent of its traditional range by the year 2080.

- In Pennsylvania, our official state bird – the ruffed grouse – faces extinction if we do not change the course on climate change. 

The potential effects of climate change on bird populations are worrisome, but it’s not too late to act. The National Audubon Society suggests that policy makers adopt a comprehensive strategy: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving efforts to adapt to climate change, and preserving key bird habitats and incorporating climate change into conservation planning. 

You can show policymakers that preserving bird species is not a partisan issue by supporting one step in the proscribed solution – support the EPA’s proposed standards to limit carbon pollution from existing power plants. 

Katie Bartolotta is PennFuture's Philadelphia outreach coordinator and is based in Philadelphia. 

Making a flap about climate change

PennFuture is all a-twitter about a disturbing but important new report issued yesterday by the National Wildlife Federation. (Full disclosure: PennFuture is NWF's affiliate in Pennsylvania. We think they're great, but frankly we'd think that even if we weren't all in the family.)

Shifting Skies: Migratory Birds in a Warming World details how our changing climate could seriously hurt some of most beloved bird populations, even driving some to extinction if we don't act soon -- no, make that immediately -- to curb carbon pollution.

Although some of our fellow citizens are still inexplicably in denial about climate change, there are no deniers in the natural world of Penn's Woods.

Ed Perry, NWF's boots-on-the-ground guy in Pennsylvania, says: "Already, wildlife is feeling the effect of our warming world, and everything from smallmouth bass, to brook trout, to ruffed grouse are being harmed by climate change."  Ed has been hunting and fishing in Pennsylvania for decades, so he knows what he's talking about. And his feathers, like mine, are plenty ruffled by our nation's refusal to own up to our responsibility to cut carbon pollution.

I've been a lifelong birder, and I hate to think what our actions are doing to our native avian populations. Like the out-of-doors? Enjoy the sweet sound of birdsong? Then please do read the report -- for the birds. Then contact your members of Congress and President Obama and tell them you're watching them with eagle eyes to make sure they act soon to cut carbon.