Britain`s Birds Respond to Climate Change
Britain`s Birds Respond to
Climate Change
Britain`s Birds are already responding to climate change. Three examples of results from research by
British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) volunteers are given below:
Earlier Nesting
One
of the most striking patterns to come out of the BTO`s annual nest monitoring programme is that more than a third of the species are
showing strong trends towards earlier laying. Some species are laying up to three weeks earlier, on average, than they were thirty
years ago. Long-tailed Tit, for instance, is already nesting 8 days earlier and Dr Humphrey Crick of BTO is predicting that, by 2080,
the species will be nesting a further 14 days earlier. Picture available from images@bto.org. These unexpected findings shows the
importance of the Nest Record Scheme as a long-term monitoring project and immediately suggests links to global climate change. These
results have been followed up with more detailed analyses to show that the trends are closely related to trends in spring weather,
confirming that our birds are sensitive indicators of climate change. The BTO`s Nest Record Scheme is funded in partnership with
JNCC. See: www.bto.org/survey/nrs.htm BTO contact - Humphrey Crick - 01842 750050 - humphrey.crick@bto.org
More Birds
Over-wintering
With milder winters, it is not surprising that more birds which were once considered summer migrants are
taking the lazy option and staying in this country. Chiffchaff is the classic example. See:
www.bto.org/migwatch/text/species/chiff.htm BTO contact - Graham Appleton or Greg Conway - 01842 750050 - graham.appleton@bto.org
or greg.conway@bto.org
Migration
Patterns
One of the predictions of climate researchers is that weather patterns will become less stable. The increased
variability makes life harder for migrant birds, planning their travels to and from Africa. This year`s bad weather in southern
Europe and North Africa has blocked much of this spring`s migration. Millions of birds of species such as Swallow, Willow Warbler
and Sand Martin seem to have been delayed by dust storms and heavy rain - it could be that many are dead. BTO volunteers all over
the country are monitoring spring migration. For more information on Migration Watch and up-to-date maps see: www.bto.org/migwatch
BTO contact - Graham Appleton or Dawn Balmer - 01842 750050 graham.appleton@bto.org or dawn.balmer@bto.org (not today, Friday, for
Dawn)
Created: 26th Apr 2002
