State of the Birds
Found on every continent and on islands
around the world, birds are one of our planet's most magnificent creatures. But
today, bird species face existential threats from climate change, pollution,
habitat destruction, and other environmental disasters. With the release of the
2010
"State of the Birds" report, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has
provided an up-to-date accounting of the potential effects of climate change on
birds--and arrived at chilling conclusions.
Comparing bird species by their habitat,
the report determined that oceanic and coastal bird species--those found on many
of the islands where Seacology works--are among the most imperiled. Oceanic bird
species are particularly vulnerable because of their relatively low reproductive
rates and their dependence on increasingly precarious island and marine
ecosystems for survival. In addition to
the rising sea waters and changing temperatures and weather patterns from
global warming, these birds face threats from overfishing, fisheries bycatch,
and ocean pollution, as well as from invasive species. Their coastal neighbors face equally
grave dangers, as rising sea levels gradually inundate and fragment low-lying
beach and marsh habitats. In addition, the increased frequency and severity of
storms will likely disturb many of these habitats and greatly affect their food
webs, of which the birds are an integral part. Of all U.S. bird species, the report
identified those of Hawaii and other Pacific Islands as the most threatened.
With a high degree of endemism, many island birds are found nowhere else on
earth--and even a small climactic shift could mean an end to an entire species.
Changes in weather patterns may alter habitats and food availability, while
warmer temperatures will likely increase the spread of diseases such as avian
malaria and pox. Highly specialized species like the Micronesian Megapode
(pictured above), found only in Palau and the Northern Marianas, are already
recognized as endangered. In many habitats, birds serve as
critical species to ecosystem health. As predators, they control the
populations of fish, insects, and other prey, while their eggs provide food for
mammals, reptiles, and other animals. Many birds are also crucial for seed
dispersal of trees and other plants. Birds are important indicators of
environmental conditions--and their current state is a frightening omen of the
effects of climate change.
