Global Warming Changes Bird Migration Habits

A study of 40 years worth of data by The National Audubon Society shows that the combination of global warming and habitat loss has drastically changed the migration habits of over 300 species of birds. Using data collected by "citizen scientists" during the Audubon's annual Christmas Bird Count reveals that more than 50 percent of observed species of birds are changing their migration habitats, moving northward and inland at greater rates. The Audubon Society is reporting that the overall temperature increase during the winter months plus the loss of habitat to human development is forcing many species of birds to migrate farther north and farther inland than they have in the past. This is threatening the range of movement available to the birds. California's Audubon society has predicted that many species of birds native to California may lose up to 25% of their movement range in the coming years if some conservation effort is not made. This can have a serious impact on the health of the birds and can result in large losses of bird populations.