Rosie DeLeon, played by movie stare, Ann-Margret once sang, “Bye-bye, Birdie. I’m gonna miss you so. Bye-bye, birdie. Why’d you have to go”. Despite the fact that she sang her song more than 50 years ago, Rosie Deleon’s question may finally be answered.
The National Audubon Society predicts that “by 2050, 30 species of birds, will no longer be able to live and breed in more than 90 percent of their current territory”, as a result of climate change. According to the four scientists responsible for the prediction, “about half of the approximately 650 species will be driven to smaller spaces or forced to find new places to live”. Scientist also fear that if some bird species neglect to relocate “they could become extinct”.
Bird species are struggling to survive. Climate change can result in droughts which then effects food supply. Often times droughts are responsible for the deaths of millions of insects, leaving birds without food. On the other hand, the bugs that are able to service the drought may become over populated because they no longer have any predators. With out birds regulating the bug population, insects will overpopulate causing them to consume more food which can have lasting effects on other species. According to biologist, Terry Root “there are going to be winners if you move a species out of a region, and these winners might be mosquitoes and spiders”.
When asked about the possibility of birds relocating, Mr. Yarnold, of the Audubon Society said, “We just don’t know whether they’ll be able to find the food sources and habitat and cope with a new range of predators. Maybe they’ll all be incredibly hardy and find ways to survive.” When considering the non-environmental effects that could result from birds relocating, the National Audubon Society suggests that “the Baltimore oriole will probably no longer live in Maryland”.
As as Maryland resident and proud supporter of the Baltimore Orioles and Ravens, I can not imagine my state without the mascots that I have grown to know and love. Weather you are a bird person or not it is important to remember that without our feathered friends the world would be a drastically different place.
Resources:
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I used to love bye bye birdie! But in connection to the bird population, that is a scary predicition that by 2050 30 birds species would have to move or go extinct. Birds are so vital to our environment, whether people realize it or not. Global Warming is a very obvious and statistically proven crisis, yet there are still some Americans who don’t believe in global warming, even though the facts are there.