In 2014, Audubon released the Birds and Climate Change Report. The report, which was based on original, peer-reviewed science, found that nearly half of all North American bird species are sensitive to climate change. Audubon set to work leveraging these findings to tap into people’s passion for birds and create a greater demand for climate solutions at the local, state, national, and hemispheric levels through mitigation and adaptation. Climate change mitigation includes efforts to reduce or prevent the causes of climate change, such as greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change adaptation includes efforts to alter and adapt both our natural surroundings and our buildings, roads, and other structures to better withstand the threats posed by climate change.

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Audubon just released a new report – Survival by Degrees: 389 Species on the Brink.  This report can be found at www.audubon.org.  Audubon knows where birds are found based on member observations around the world.  They have seen some movement of the species since the 2014 report and with new data and climate models they are able to predict how the ranges of birds will shift in the future due to three different rates of change - +1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees F), + 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F) and + 3 degrees C (5.4 degrees F).

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Indian River County has 8 species with high vulnerability to these various temperature rises.  They are the Boat-tailed Grackle, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Towhee, Fish Crow, Gray Kingbird, Red Headed Woodpecker, Snail Kite and the Yellow Throated Warbler.  These birds will be forced to relocate and some may not survive.  This need to relocate is due to the following reasons:

• Spring Heat Waves – this particularly endangers young birds in nests

• Fire Weather – Incinerates bird habitat – this is less common in Florida

• Drought – this is also less common in Florida

• Urbanization

• Sea Level rising

• Heavy Rain – this may flood nests and impede parents from feeding their chicks

 

There are 8 more species with moderate vulnerability including the Sand Hill Crane.  Their territory will shift north into Canada with a 3 degree C rise in temperature.  Our Mottled Duck is in the low vulnerability category as they require a much smaller habitat area so will just be faced with a small movement north.

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Audubon has a goal of stabilizing the increase to +1.5 degrees C.  The Audubon network spans the political spectrum and includes all states.  Members are more ready than the public at large to take action.  Audubon would like 50% renewal power generation by 2030.  We may not notice small changes in the temperature but the birds do and you may notice not as many birds around as time goes by.

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Audubon is working at the local, state and federal levels to address the underlying causes of changing weather patterns.  They state, “We know why and what to do – we need the will to do it.”   The report goes into more detail about their efforts.

 

Shout out to FP&L – Their goal is to have 30 million solar panels by 2030.  In 2020 solar will outpace coal and oil as a percent of the energy mix.  FP&L is partnered with Audubon here in Florida

Shout out to Target – By November of this year they will have rooftop solar panels on 500 U.S. stores.  They will have achieved 25% of their mission of 100 percent renewable electricity.

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IT’S HAPPENING! THE BIRDS THANK YOU!   Read the report for more information.