I just read an article on Common Dreams about migratory patterns of birds. Global warming (or something) is causing them to change their normal behavior. For instance, snow geese are spending winters 200 miles farther north than usual, and purple finches, a whopping 400 miles more to the north of their usual winter hangout. The Audubon Society has released a report on changing migratory habits of North American birds. Read the Common Dreams report about it HERE. Also, take a look at patterns indicated in an Audubon map.
By Beverly Spicer
Feb 10, 2009
Bye bye birdies: Migration patterns are changing
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There are some distinct changes in Western Central Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. Birds have been coming North, such as the Saw-Whet Owl; here when they never came north of SE Alaska 15 years ago. Several Finches and Sparrows have appeared, no longer accidental or rare. Some birds, particularly owls, which breed in the Arctic and migrate south, have begun to winter over here rather than the Lower 48. The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Annas, and Rufous are not just seen in SE Alaska, but comes to South-Central, although not all are common yet. But people here feed them. There have been reports of Costa’s
There are some issues. There is a dramatic increase in red-backed voles, mice, etc, and the predator birds are feasting. So is it temperature, available food supply, or both?
Is the woodpecker increase, both numbers and species, due to global warming or the Spruce Bark Beetle Infestation increasing the food supply? Or both? On the other hand, did global warming increase the Spruce Bark Beetle prematurely (They cycle here too, over several hundred years.)?
Our old (1961) Golden Field Guide “Birds of North American” says a lot of birds i see every year or even daily don’t live in Alaska – but was that ignorance due to lack of investigation? Probably. My new Armstrong “Guide to the Birds of Alaska” does list them. Often, so does Audobon and Peterson, but not always.
We do know that we are having a good time watching our bird feeders!
I live in a “Birders Pardise” the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas” and I still argue that “people are more important” than the migration pattern of birds. Perhaps they are dumb birds for not going south. If that is the case then Darwin surival of the fittest well take care of the dumb birds.
birds rock!! my tiel loves to listen to music.
BLUEJAYS HAVE FLOCKED TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD !! Suddeny about 6-7 months ago, Bluejays dominate this area. I am on the coast 15 miles north of Boston. What the heck is bringing them here in droves? They have such a screechy sound. They drown out the beautiful songs from the other birds, like Mockingbirds. I wonder why the Bluejays suddenly flocked here, and there’s no signs to indicate they’d be moving anytime soon.