For Immediate Release: |
Contact: Karyn Stockdale, Executive Director (505) 983-4609, x 32; kstockdale@audubon.org |
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New Mexico Birds Movements Reveal Global Warming Threat, (SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO) — Forty years of compiled data from Audubon’s citizen scientists makes clear that New Mexico is witnessing ecological disruption as a result of global warming. Released today, Audubon’s findings have been compiled into the National Audubon Society’s Birds and Climate Change Report which documents a trend of northward and inland movement of North American birds over the past 40 years. This amounts to running an unplanned and uncontrolled experiment of massive proportions whose severity we cannot fully predict. “This Audubon report on birds and climate change shows that the effort and time of volunteers spent watching, listening and recording birds through Christmas Bird Counts continues to be critical to scientists in identifying habitat changes. Now, all New Mexicans need to take immediate, concerted action to stop global warming and protect birds and our environment,” emphasized Karyn Stockdale, director of the Audubon Society’s state office. “Citizen science allowed us to see these disturbing trends and citizen action is the best solution to this climate crisis,” Stockdale added. “Citizen science” is the phrase Audubon uses to describe the volunteer scientists collecting data through the Christmas Bird Counts, other bird counts and monitoring projects. In New Mexico, many birds that winter here are declining in numbers and show that their range is retracting north. Additionally, New Mexico is now seeing birds that were never seen here before or that weren’t common as birds move northward from the south. For instance, twenty years ago it was unheard of to see the Common Yellowthroat wintering in New Mexico, but now these birds winter regularly in Las Cruces and sometimes up the Rio Grande corridor towards Albuquerque. Audubon’s report documents the 109 mile northward movement of the Common Yellowthroat and an increased 2,417% occurrence in New Mexico since 1968. The Pygmy Nuthatch, found in New Mexico’s forests, has moved 265 miles north with a 90% decline in the population in our state and uncertainty about its general continental population. “With new leadership in Washington, this is a critical moment for New Mexico’s congressional delegation, led by Senator Bingaman, to take the lead in addressing our collective energy, economic and global warming challenges and to prevent the worst impacts from global warming,” said Stockdale. MORE INFORMATION The long-term threats of global climate change—though widely accepted as real—continue to be mistakenly perceived as far off in both time and locale. But new analyses by Audubon scientists reveal that 40 years of avian habitat shifts add up to a very different message: Ecological disruptions caused by climate change have been happening across North America for decades and are having a measurable and visible impact on familiar bird species. Nearly 60% of species that winter in North America have moved northward or inland, with climate playing a likely role in shifts that can exceed hundreds of miles. Though implications for individual species can appear benign, the long-term environmental disruptions they portend are serious for birds, for other wildlife and people alike. Initiatives like river corridor restoration projects, protections to wildlife corridors and continued assessments based on real on-the-ground bird sightings from volunteers across our state provide solid beginnings for us to address climate change. New Mexico is fortunate to have vast landscapes that provide key habitats for birds and other wildlife, but we must be proactive with policy change, stewardship and individual action in working together. Examples of popular New Mexico birds mentioned in the Audubon report include the Mountain Chickadee, also commonly found at the Randall Davey Audubon Center in Santa Fe, which has moved north and decreased by 88% in New Mexico and 23% across the country. Other New Mexico birds such as the Steller’s Jay, Cedar Waxwing, Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Townsend’s Solitaire have all have shifted their habitats northward (up to 265 miles north) with declining populations in New Mexico, although their populations may be increasing in other states. Advances by the American Tree Sparrow are good examples of global warming’s impacts as we see them retreating from the southern portions of their range. Other previous studies also documented the unpredictable fluctuations in the timing of food source availability through the hatching of insects with the needs of nesting baby birds. The national findings show that 58 percent of the 305 species that winter on the continent shifted significantly north since 1968, some by hundreds of miles. Movement was detected among species of every type, including more than 70 percent of highly adaptable forest and feeder birds. Only 38 percent of grassland species mirrored the trend, reflecting the constraints of their already severely-depleted habitat and the need for more bird counts and information on grassland species. Population shifts among individual species are common, fluctuate, and can have many causes. However, Audubon scientists said the ongoing trend of movement by some 177 species—closely correlated to long-term winter temperature increases—revealed an undeniable link to the changing climate. Audubon scientists say habitats already under siege from development, energy production and agricultural expansion and other human uses will require enhanced protection and restoration to sustain bird populations and provide ecological benefits essential to human health, economic prosperity and quality of life. The report comes as President Obama and Congressional leaders are calling for swift action to move the U.S. toward a clean energy economy. After years of relative inaction at the national level in the U.S, Congress and the administration are poised to move forward with comprehensive global warming and energy legislation in 2009. The full Birds and Climate Change Report, state-specific information, bird photos, and multimedia can be found at www.audubon.org. Audubon is also urging citizens to take action by signing a national petition demanding aggressive federal policy action at www.birdsandclimate.org. Audubon New Mexico’s mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems in New Mexico, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity. Audubon aims to enhance the knowledge of New Mexico citizens to make informed decisions about the protection of wildlife and to empower them to be active stewards of the planet. For more information, see http://nm.audubon.org. Here are some of the Audubon Society’s suggestions to address these impacts: 1. Be an Active Citizen Join Audubon’s activist team and urge our elected official to make global warming a top priority by signing our petition at www.birdsandclimate.org. Voice your support for new approaches to help solve global warming, move us toward a 100 percent clean energy future, reduce our dependence on oil, and protect our environment. Stay informed, write letters to your leaders, and support candidates who promise to take the aggressive and farsighted actions necessary to curb global warming. 2. Get Involved in Your Community Support conservation efforts that protect and restore essential bird habitat, keeping it healthy to better withstand global warming. Visit http://nm.audubon.org to learn how the Important Bird Areas program in New Mexico is building a network of conservation stewards. And join in “Citizen Science” efforts like the Christmas and Great Backyard Bird Counts http://www.audubon.org/bird/citizen/index.html. 3. Reduce Energy Consumption Save money and energy by switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs and maximize the use you natural sunlight for daytime lighting needs. Reduce excessive use of home heating and cooling and weatherize your home. Buy energy efficient appliances such as those that are “Energy Star” compliant. ### | |