As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Sunday 21 April 2019

Birding: Despite climate change, one habitat critical for breeding birds is mostly intact


Posted April 14
We need to preserve the North American Boreal Forest.
BY HERB WILSON

Earth Day, which is a week from Monday, serves as a reminder to all of us to redouble our efforts at minimizing our impacts on this globe and do what we can to help the millions of species with which we share this Earth.
Climate change represents one of the most dramatic changes our world is experiencing. The timing of various biological and meteorological events attests to our altered climate. Ice-out on our lakes is earlier now, as is the first appearance of leaves on many of our trees, the first flowers of many plants, the first singing of spring peepers, and the spring-time arrival of migratory breeding birds.
We are also seeing the northward expansion of the ranges of many mobile species. Turkey vultures, red-bellied woodpeckers, tufted titmice and Carolina wrens are all well established in Maine now but were rarities 40 years ago.
Climate change, habitat fragmentation and pollution collectively challenge the survival and successful reproduction of many birds. Birdlife International finds that 1,469 of the roughly 10,000 bird species are in danger of extinction. That’s one of every seven species.


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