Make a New Year’s Resolution for Birds!

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​​By Bonnie Beers​
 
Two studies published in October 2019 document changes and potential challenges facing North American bird populations: 

• Cornell study published in Science Magazine, “The Decline of North American Avifauna,” a documentation of the loss of 3 billion birds since 1970,  based on citizen science data and NEXTAR radar data of migration densities (See Nov 3 blog entry) 
• The Audubon Society report, Survival by Degrees, which predicts survival vulnerability of 604 bird species by 2080, based on projected habitat change and/or loss due to global temperature rise.

Cornell’s study describes actual changes over the past 50 years. The Audubon study predicts population declines based on 140 million observations from 40 different data sets interfaced with habitat preferences and needs of each species and on climate change projections.  The web-link above describes details of the study and allows viewing of predictions that illustrate vulnerabilities of specific species typical of a given zipcode at projected temperature rises of 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0-degree Celsius.

Both studies present some grim realities, but also provide pathways for hope, at both individual and policy levels.  Make a New Year’s Resolution to do something for birds!

• Read the studies.
• Commit to action.
• Contribute to Citizen Science (upcoming ​ Great Backyard Bird Count, February 14-17 (www.BirdCount.org )

 

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