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Global warming will hurt migratory birds mongabay.com May 7, 2007
"Migratory birds are particularly vulnerable because of their use of several habitats during migration as stopover sites for feeding, resting or to sit out bad weather." said Mr. Bert Lenten, Executive Secretary of the AEWA Agreement and initiator of the World Migratory Bird Day campaign, an international public awareness event focusing every year on a different threat or obstacle to migratory bird species.
Lenten added there are already signs that climate change is causing birds to migrate earlier, change their routes or in even abandon migration all together. "Examples include Cranes which normally migrate to Spain and Portugal but now stay in Germany. However as they are not used to low temperatures, there is a danger that most of them would not survive a hard winter in Germany" said Lenten. "The results of several studies investigated show that as the temperatures becomes warmer, migrant species in temperate latitudes, such as the Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) arrive on their breeding grounds earlier than expected," stated CMS in a release. "The timing of arrival on breeding grounds is important especially as it has to be synchronized with availability of prey." "Climate change will impact on the species of prey just as they impact on the birds themselves severely impacting on the populations of many species. Early spring might lead to a shift in the prey (insect hatching) or a shift in vegetation bloom. Unfortunately these shifts are not in line and may occur before the young birds hatch. As a result the birds may not provide enough food for their offspring," the statement continued. Helping migratory birds adapt to climate change
"In order to combat the extra threat of climate change, we need to protect or create more habitats for migratory birds and other animals, including ponds and other wetland sites to help waders and other waterbirds complete their exhausting journeys in even more difficult climatic conditions," said Robert Hepworth, Executive Secretary of CMS. Comments? News options Liquid error: Template not found languages/english/includes/x/_22.liquid
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