More+birds+than+you+realize+are+at+risk!


 * __How climate change will affect birds__ **


 * They can fly but many bird species can’t hide from global climate change. **

Birds suffer from climate change effects in every part of the globe. Scientists have found declines of up to 90 per cent in some bird populations, as well as a productive failure in others. Specific groups of birds are at high risk from climate change: migratory, mountain, island, wetland, arctic, antarctic, and sea birds. While bird species that can move easily to new habitats are expected to continue to do well, bird species that thrive only in a narrow environmental range are expected to decline, and to be outnumbered by invasive species. Reports suggest trends towards major birds extinction from global warming. Global Warming is also suspected to cause greater with an extreme, which can effect the survival of both. The young and adult birds in a specie. As some species of birds are pushed to their limits during migration, and increased vacancy of storms may reduce some birds abilites to reach their breeding grounds on time, if at all. There is also strong evidence that climate change is causing bids to lay their eggs earlier. This may potentially have several implications for the reproductive success and survival rate for a species.


 * How will climate change affect biodiversity? **



Climate change impacts including droughts, crop failure, flooding, sea-level rise and extreme weather events are already being felt across the world, with the poorest people and vulnerable ecosystems hit hardest.

There is an increasing weight of scientific evidence that observed changes in climate have already adversely affected biodiversity at the species and ecosystem level, and current levels of climate change are modest compared to most projections. Plant and animal ranges are shifting poleward and upward, and studies suggest many species will not be able to keep up with their changing climate space.

One global study estimates that 15–37% of species could be committed to extinction by 2050 as a consequence of climate change; another that each degree of warming could drive another 100-500 bird species extinct. Temperature rises beyond 2 °C are predicted to lead to catastrophic extinction rates, with few practical conservation options left.

What YOU can do to help: 1. Switch off unused lights on standbuy 2. Switch off appliances 3. Change to energy afficent light globes 4. Take shorter shower 5. Switch to green powe 6. Walk,cycle or catch public transport 7. Recycle as many things as you can locally 8. Pick up rubbish 9. Do not litter

=** Defender of birds **=

** A Q& **** A **** with a Defenders expert **
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 * Chris Haney, **
 * Defenders’ chief scientist specializing in environmental biology **

=== Q: Research into climate change’s effects on ecosystems and figuring out ways to help wildlife adapt—potentially replanting forests or relocating species—will cost money. Where will this money come from? === === A: A focus of Defenders’ recent work on Capitol Hill is to secure funding to safeguard wildlife and natural resources in a warming world. We have had concrete successes in safeguarding wildlife though advocacy of policy and funding initiatives. Some of that money is funding the National Global Warming and Wildlife Science Center, a newly created research center that is Defenders’ brainchild. But to adequately respond to this problem we will need substantial, long-term resources. === === Q: At least 11,000 of the world’s bird species are considered at risk from climate change and 200 of them could disappear over the next century, according to the Boreal Songbird Network. What can we do to keep birds flying through the world's skies? === === A: There are many things we can all do from growing native plants that birds can eat while migrating through our backyards, to lowering thermostats and using public transportation, and we can speak up about the need for climate legislation. ===

Q: If you could say just one thing to Defenders’ members about birds and climate change, what would it be?
=== A: Global climate change is altering the natural world in ways we are only beginning to understand and only committed, collective action can protect vulnerable wildlife species. It is up to all of us to safeguard birds, their habitat and the environment we all share and depend on—for the sake of all of us. === === But there is a greater peril facing these birds. In certain places, the shrubs that grow farther south—dwarf birch, willow and alder—have begun to green the once-treeless tundra as earlier spring thaws and later fall freezes lengthen the growing season. These shrubs block the owls’ long, clear views across the open e xpanse, interfering with their ability to hunt. === === Climate models predict that thawing permafrost and less extreme temperatures will bring “immigrant species” from the vast boreal forests to the south. New predators, from red foxes to ravens will be among them, animals that will stalk the ground-nesting owls with ever-more vegetation to conceal their movements. ===

Over the past 50 years, humans have changed ecosystems more rapidly and extensively than during any comparable period of time in human history, largely to meet rapidly growing demands for food, fresh water, timber, fibre and fuel. The result has been a substantial and largely irreversible loss in biodiversity. Climate change exacerbates these impacts.

Impacts include increased extreme weather (floods and droughts), the retreat of mountain glaciers, the thawing of permafrost, later freezing and earlier break-up of ice on rivers and lakes, lengthening of mid- to high-latitude growing seasons, poleward and altitudinal shifts of plant and animal ranges (resulting in declines in some plant and animal populations, and the potential extinction of species where no such shift in range is possible) and phenological changes, such as the earlier emergence of leaves and insects and the timing of migration and breeding of species, usually genetically 'programmed' to coincide with optimal climatic circumstances and hence food availability. Adapting to a changed climate requires evolutionary change which can take a very long time. Very rapid climate change as the one we are currently witnessing could mean that many species will fail to adapt and face massive starvation and breeding failure.

These and other problems may lead to further declines in bird populations with currently common species becoming rare, and rare species disappearing from vast parts of Europe and some species risking complete extinction. The loss of species and decline of wild birds populations makes our world poorer but is also contributing to weakening the ecosystems on which we ultimately depend. Healthy ecosystems are even more important in times of rapid climate change as complex ecosystems can better buffer some of the consequences of climate change such as extreme weather events and spread of invasive species.

Bibliography

[|http://www.birdlife.org/climate_change/impacts/biodiversity.html]

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[|http://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/400-native-species-in-danger-20130525-2n3pf.html#ixzz2VsmQRYTz]