Global bird news: 7 June 2009
Wader populations decline faster than ever
Birdlife International
According to a new publication by Wetlands International, more than half the populations of waders in Europe, West Asia and Africa are declining at an accelerating rate.The new ‘Wader Atlas’ is the first comprehensive overview of key site networks for waders in Europe, West Asia and Africa, and the publication highlights a need for better protection of the key wetlands along their flyways, especially in Africa and the Middle East. The authors outline that whilst many European Union (EU) Member States have established a fairly comprehensive network of protected areas for waders, many of which are Important Bird Areas (IBAs) identified by the BirdLife Partnership, the protection and management of key sites is still far from adequate beyond the EU’s borders. [more here]
Bird migrations set to increase
Birdlife International
Bird migrations are likely to get longer according to the first ever study of the potential impacts of climate change on the breeding and winter ranges of migrant birds. The length of some migrations could increase by as much as 400 km. “The predicted future temperature changes and the associated changes in habitat could have serious consequences for many species”, said lead-author Nathalie Doswald of Durham University (UK). Most warblers come here in spring and summer time to take advantage of the surplus of insects, and leave for warmer climes in the autumn”, added Dr Willis. “From 2071 to 2100, nine out of the 17 species we looked at are projected to face longer migrations, particularly birds that cross the Sahara desert”. [more here]
African Important Bird Area Network able to withstand climate change
Birdlife International
Twenty first century climate change could see the ranges of many African bird species moving beyond the boundaries of the sites established for their protection, raising the spectre of even higher extinction rates than those currently projected.However, some sites are also likely to gain species whose ranges currently lie beyond the site’s borders. New research has examined the balance between these effects, and shows that under projected climate change over the next century, the African Important Bird Area (IBA) network will be an essential tool for conserving the region’s breeding species. [more here]
- Birders Contributed $36 Billion to the US Economy in 2006 A US Fish & Wildlife report based on 2006 economic data has revealed that one in five Americans is a birder (the report defines a birder as someone who either travels to watch birds or makes an active effort to watch and identify birds at home). That's a whopping 48......
- British conservationists concerned about Common Swift Building design changes are reducing available nest sites for Common Swifts (Apus apus) in Britain. Is this really a cause for concern? Where did Common Swifts breed before there were buildings in Britain? This is an old debate, but it does beg the question of whether resources could be better......
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- The Biggest Polluter on the Planet: SEX Thomas Friedman's follow-up to "The World is Flat" is currently slowly integrating it's message into my brain. "Hot, Flat, and...
