If even the Bald Eagle, an American symbol, is threatened by climate change, there shouldn't be any hesitation for any of you to come to NYC and participate in the
People's Climate March, sign up here and stop the policies that cause the climate to change.
Credit: Raúl A./Flickr Creative Commons
A bald eagle spreads it wings. The eagle is just one of hundreds of North American birds now threatened by the effects of climate change
Even the symbol of America is now at risk from climate change
A report released by the National Audubon Society estimates that about half of North America's bird species may be forced to find a new habitat over the next 65 years because of the impact of climate change. Some will survive the move, but many others will not.
Even the bald eagle, the symbol of the US, will be unable to breed in the lower 48 states by the end of the century unless dramatic action to preserve the species is taken.
Of the 650 bird species at risk, 126 are lowland bird species like eagles, the brown pelican, and the common loon. The Audubon Society’s study found that these birds could eventually have nowhere to go, which is consistent with other research studies.
“When you start looking at all the other studies done on climate change for plants and animals, both in the US and abroad," says Dr. Gary Langham, vice president and chief scientist of the National Audubon Society, "you find that they’re really all telling you the same story. Somewhere between 40 and 70 percent of whatever organisms you’re looking at are at serious risk from climate change.”
The whole interview with Dr. Gary Langhan can be listened to given in the audio link of above linked story.
10 States That Could Lose Their State Birds, Thanks to Climate Change
Maryland:
Baltimore Oriole
In 2080, the Baltimore Orioles may have to play baseball under a different name. That’s because climate change is likely to have altered climatic conditions so drastically, the bird may no longer be able to reside in Maryland.
Patty McGann/Flickr Creative Commons
Climate change will be a second major threat to these birds after pesticides almost completely eradicated them from Louisiana and other states in the 1960s.
Such is the case for the Oriole, and eight other state birds, according to Audubon’s new Birds and Climate Change Report. In a comprehensive study, Audubon scientists mapped out the impact of global warming on 588 North American birds. The report’s findings are shocking—314 of the 588 species studied will lose more than half of their range, making them climate endangered. Birds searching for appropriate climate conditions may be forced into a hostile habitat—it’s hard to be a seabird in landlocked territory, for example.
Louisiana:
Brown Pelican:
The Brown Pelican will use its impressive 6.5-foot wingspan to disperse northwards. But even if they find appropriate climates in northern parts of Louisiana, they may not find the right habitats. An inability to find fish once they leave the coast could seriously harm the birds’ chances of survival.
Joseph Tenne/Audubon Photography Awards
A juvenile brown pelican resting
same fellow in a big oily mess
BP oil spill choked off important pelican nesting sites on Louisiana coast:
The post-BP story of the brown pelican, Louisiana’s official bird, is the perfect metaphor for the crisis confronting the state’s coast.
Before the Deepwater Horizon blew out on April 20, 2010, brown pelicans were living the good life in southeast Louisiana as one of the great wildlife comeback stories. In 1963 not a single brown pelican could be found in the state due to impacts from the insectiside DDT. The comeback started in 1968 when the state began transplanting birds from Florida, and populations began to soar after DDT was banned in 1972. Thanks to the abundant food in one of the world’s most productive fisheries, by 2010 their numbers were thought to be near historic levels, as high of 85,000.*
But in 2010 the oil spewing from BP’s Deepwater Horizon would send them all to an early grave. “Then the oil came in and coated the mangrove roots, and two years later the Cat Islands chain started going".
“I don’t know where those birds are nesting now – but they can’t do it here any more.”
credit:
Bob Marshall / The Lens
The mangrove bushes that for decades served as nest sites for brown pelicans and other birds were killed by oil from the Deepwater Horizon. Once the bushes were gone, the islands began rapidly washing away.
Idaho and Nevada:
Mountain Bluebird:
This bird is so gorgeous that two states claimed it as their own (though Idaho cheated and has a second state bird: the Peregrine Falcon). By 2080, the Mountain Bluebird will lose 73 percent of its summer range (though its winter range will increase by 32 percent). Audubon expects bluebird populations to drastically decrease in summer as its preferred habitats of meadows and tundra become increasingly affected by climate change.
Mountain Bluebird
May be you want to look up which birds in your state or in your neighborhood will be threatened or endangered through loss of livable habitat ranges caused by climate change. See this the fantastic interactive map that the National Audubon Society has provided.
Find a Bird Near You
Clicking on any geographical region provides you with a "Flyway" list of states and lists all birds in those areas that threatened by livable habitat range losses.
Now I can't help to close on a more lighthearted note. Let me tell you that in the German language we have a (rather lax) way of saying to someone who seems to have somewhat crazy ideas in his head. We would say: "Du hast wohl einen kleinen Vogel im Kopf". (literal translation: "You seem to have a little bird in your head")
I like to use that now in a more serious manner. May you all "have a little bird if not in your head, but at least in your mind", because those birdies need you think about what kind of harm climate change is not only doing to them but to yourself as well. If you all just had "einen kleinen Vogel im Kopf", the world would be a less crazy and much better one. For all of us.
If you want to help, go here and look up
What You Can Do To Help Protect Birds.
With that I remind you that we have
Sign up For the People's Climate March Now!
New York City, Sunday, September 21
"
Just four days remain until the historic Peoples' Climate March. The September 21 March is being held two days before the UN Climate Summit, where government and corporate leaders will convene to discuss taking action to address climate change.
Estimates project over 250,000 will march in New York City, with huge marches also scheduled around the world. Over 1000 groups and organizations are participating.
Join the PCM Sprint on Twitter #PeoplesClimate and help amplify the messaging.
Sign up here!!! --> People's Climate March