Global climate change poses numerous threats for species across the world—some of these challenges include rising temperatures and sea levels, changing habitats and landscapes, increased severe weather and unstable climate patterns (The Nature Conservatory, 2017). These issues don’t just affect humans—many species are also being forced to respond to this rapidly changing world. Certain species are more sensitive to the results of climate change, and they act as indicators of ecosystems health. Since birds are sensitive to change, they can act as an early warning to the detrimental effects of climate change (Lemoine et. al., 2005), alerting us to take action to address the underlying causes—if we listen.
So how exactly is climate change affecting birds? Birds are laying eggs earlier, migration patterns are changing or being lost entirely, bird behavior is changing, population ranges are shifting, and extinction of certain species is becoming increasingly common (Nature Canada, 2017). Each of these changes can have a significant effect on population health, and that short list doesn’t take into account that many of those changes are happening simultaneously. There are many examples of this found within scientific literature, but it is difficult to make generalizations about all bird populations because there are a vast number of species of birds. However, almost all bird species rely on precise timing of environmental cues for reproductive, developmental, and spatial distribution. There are precise times to try to attract mates, specific times when breeding should occur, along with times designated for migration preparation (in migratory birds), and all of these events (among others) require a certain synchronicity. These cycles are specifically regulated by hormones that are set in motion when birds integrate sensory information from their environment, so they know how to proceed. However, climate change is greatly affecting these crucially timed cycles, resulting in mis-matched patterns that birds depend on for breeding and mating (Carey, 2009). As a result, birds are being forced to physiologically respond to this changing landscape, mainly by shifting the timing of certain behaviors such as singing songs involved in mating (Nature Canada, 2017). It is important to note, though, that since climate change has many different outcomes, birds respond in many different ways – what affects one species may not affect another.
Unfortunately, timing isn’t the only aspect of bird physiology and behavior being affected. Rising temperatures associated with global climate change have huge effects on bird metabolism and energy requirements. Increase in temperature means an increase in bird metabolism, or energy needed to survive and reproduce. Each species has a specific optimal temperature range, and any change in environmental temperatures can cause huge amounts of stress on these organisms as they try to cope (Milne et. al., 2015). Couple that with changes to resource distribution (such as food and habitat), and things get complicated fast. Regardless of what kind of stressor is in the environment, in many cases, birds are some of the first species affected in an ecosystem (Hills, 2017).
In a changing world, bird populations can act as an indicator for overall ecosystem health because they are some of the first species affected (Stolen et. al., 2005), so when these populations begin to be negatively affected, we need to take action. Birds are excellent environmental indicators, because they can directly indicate habitat quality. Various studies have found that when bird habitat becomes fragmented or degraded, populations respond negatively physiologically and behaviorally in predictable ways (O’Connell et. al., 2000). Additionally, birds are very sensitive to environmental
pollutants. This was seen in their response to DDT, a harmful pesticide, among other chemicals that devastated bird populations (Hill, 2017). Bird song has been used to detect safe air environments in the past, as well; have you ever heard of the saying “a canary in a coal mine”? This saying dates back to the early 1900s when coal miners would take canaries into coal mines. If these birds would stop singing, it acted as an early-indication that the mine was likely full of carbon monoxide or other toxic gases (Eschner, 2016). Similarly, to the canaries in the coal mine (hence the title), it is important to look to sensitive species in the environment as our planet continues to warm. They act as a clear indicator that something needs to be done to halt the effects of global warming to the best of our ability.
So how exactly can you help protect bird populations? Small changes, can make big differences, especially when it comes to ecosystem health. There are many things you can do to reduce your ecological footprint, which is just a fancy way of saying the impact you have on the environment. Investing in energy efficient appliances, carpooling or walking to your destination, or even something as simple as remembering to turn off your lights when you aren’t using them—all these things can help fight climate change (The Nature Conservatory, 2017). Additionally, to specifically help protect birds in the face of climate change, you can set up bird feeders (but be sure to keep your pets away!), avoid using harmful chemicals in and around your lawn, and plant native species in your yard to encourage native bird species to eat and nest there (Environment for the Americas, 2012). Another thing you can do is to participate in Citizen Science bird projects (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2017). These projects are essentially to research, and provide critical information about the health of bird populations. Once we listen to the birds around us, we’ll realize there is so much on our planet that is worth protecting, and better yet, we’ll realize that there are so many things we can do to make a difference.
Works Cited
Carey C (2009) The impacts of cliamte change on the annual cycles of birds. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 364:3321-3330.
Environment for the Americas (2012) 20 ways to conserve birds. http://www.birdday.org/birdday/themes/2012-twenty-years-of-imbd/20-ways-to-conserve-birds
Eschner J (2016) The story of the real canary in a coal mine. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/story-real-canary-coal-mine-180961570/
Hill J (2017) Birds as environmental indicators. http://www.environmentalscience.org/birds-environmental-indicators
Lemoine N, Schaefer HC, Bohning-Gaese KB (2006) Species richness of migratory birds is influenced by global climate change. Global Ecology and Biogeography 16: 55-64.
Milne R, Cunningham SJ, Lee ATK, Smit B (2015) The role of thermal physiology in recent declines of birds in a biodiversity hotspot. Conerv Physiol 3: 1-17.
Nature Canada (2017) How is climate change affecting birds? http://naturecanada.ca/what-we-do/bird-conservation/climate-change-birds/
O’Connell TJ, Jackson LE, Brooks RP (2000) Bird guilds as indicators of ecological condition in the central Appalachians. Ecological Applications 10: 1706-1721.
Stolen ED, et al. (2005) Using waterbirds as indicators in estuarine systems: successes and perils. Estuarine Indicators 7: 409-422.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology (2017) Mission: Conservation. http://www.birds.cornell.edu/page.aspx?pid=1666
The Nature Conservatory (2017) Climate change threats and Solutions. https://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/urgentissues/global-warming-climate-change/threats-solutions/
Photo
Photo credit to Smithsonian (Eschner, 2016)