Climate change and birds

Some of the bird species that have felt big changes from climate change include the piping plover, chinstrap penguins, Cassia Crossbill, Carnaby's Black Cockatoo, Black-tailed godwit, and Ethiopian Bush-crow. Scientists study how climate change affects birds. Like other animals, birds notice changes caused by humans. Researchers watch how birds' lives change over many years. They also study how birds change to survive and compare old birds from museum collections with birds living today.

Knowing where birds will live in the future because of climate change is very important. This helps people protect birds and keep them from disappearing. It is important for lowering the chance that birds will vanish because of a changing world. Even plans to fight climate change, like using wind power, can affect birds in different ways. But the environmental impact of wind power is thought to be much smaller than the big problems birds face from the continuing effects of climate change.

Causes

Further information: Climate change and Effects of climate change

Climate change has made the Earth a little warmer since the Industrial Revolution. This happens because of gases in the air that trap heat, called greenhouse gas emissions. The future temperature depends on if we take steps to lower these emissions. If we act fast, the temperature may rise only a little. But if we don’t act, the Earth could get much warmer by the end of the century.

Effects

Birds are changing because of climate change. Some birds are getting smaller, with shorter legs and longer wings. This helps them deal with hotter weather. For example, birds in the Amazon have become lighter, and their wings have grown longer over many years.

Climate change also changes when birds travel and have babies. Some birds leave for their summer homes earlier in the spring. This can sometimes cause trouble if they arrive too early or too late to find food. But some birds, like the Great Tit, have done well by changing when they have their babies.

Extinction

Scientists study how climate change affects birds. They look at how birds live over many years. They compare old bird specimens from museums to birds today. This helps us learn how birds change in our changing world.

Effects of climate change mitigation activities

Climate change mitigation helps most birds by limiting the harmful effects of climate change. Some ways to help, like forest management, can make better homes for birds. Certain farming methods for renewable biomass might also help more birds than regular farming.

But some efforts to help can accidentally harm birds. For example, wind farms can be risky for birds like white-tailed eagles and whooper swans because birds might not see the turbines. Placing wind turbines in better spots could help keep birds safe. While wind turbines can cause bird deaths, they affect fewer birds than fossil fuel power stations.