• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

global warming good for birds!! (1 Viewer)

Whilst such findings shouldn't in any way halt our attempts to limit greenhouse gases it is very clear that we still have a lot to learn about global climate, potential climate change buffers & their effects on the natural world.
 
Steve G said:
Whilst such findings shouldn't in any way halt our attempts to limit greenhouse gases it is very clear that we still have a lot to learn about global climate, potential climate change buffers & their effects on the natural world.
Click to expand...

But surely that's the main concern about Global Warming. Things are happening so fast, too fast for most species to adapt, and we just don't know what the future holds.
 
I normally don't like getting involved with the whole climate debate, but isn't it simply a matter of who adapts best? I mean, global warming may be good for some birds, such as the Little Egret, which is expanding it's range, perhaps helped by warmer climate.
But it may be bad for others, for example the Little Tern, whose nest sites may be in danger of flooding.
 
Coigach said:
But surely that's the main concern about Global Warming. Things are happening so fast, too fast for most species to adapt, and we just don't know what the future holds.
Click to expand...

I meant to highlight this in my quote, but in my opinion, that is indeed the main concern.
 
Here are a few possible effects of Global Warming on the UK:

1) We get Mediterranean type summers, lots of sunshine and good tans.

2) Britain gets warmer, but only thanks to lots more cloud cover and rain in both summer and winter. We get less cold winters but also see less sunshine in summer. This has a bad effect on our insect populations, reducing insect eating birds.

3) The arctic ice cap melts, sea levels rise flooding our pathetic (and impossible) attempts at sea defences. Lots of the UK is flooded. More worryingly, the melting ice cap diverts the Gulf stream, and Britain gets the same winters as Hudson Bay and Moscow, and is generally much colder than it is now.

I'm sure there are also lots of other possibilities. Each one has a dramatically different effect on our birdlife. Who can say which will happen? Who can say which species will benefit and which will lose? In my opinion, we all lose.
 
Last edited:
Steve G said:
Whilst such findings shouldn't in any way halt our attempts to limit greenhouse gases it is very clear that we still have a lot to learn about global climate, potential climate change buffers & their effects on the natural world.
Click to expand...

Yes I very much agree with you.
Colin
 
Steve G said:
Whilst such findings shouldn't in any way halt our attempts to limit greenhouse gases it is very clear that we still have a lot to learn about global climate, potential climate change buffers & their effects on the natural world.
Click to expand...

Yes Steve

and we are learing it daily. It should get a little easier now that we have stopped arguing about whether it is actually happening though. Pity it took so long. Even on a birding forum. Onwards and upwards though...

A friend of mine is investigating the effects of climate change on tropical birds... don't expect it too be much of a good thing. Birds on mountains don't have much room to move to when the climate changes. Coupled with inability to extract / or lack of, suitable food resources in their 'new' and forced habitat (if it's even possible for them to eek out an existence), places like Peru, Ecuador, Colombia etc where there is such an altitude / habitat gradient might be in for big trouble.

Even here many birds are nesting much earlier on average already. This can result in them being out of sync with their insect food which may emerge much later etc...
 
There is a lot of research ongoing -including observational studies such as that quoted in The Times.
Some research (like this) will undoubtedly yield findings which SEEM to contradict the (recently acquired!!!) classical wisdoms/prophesies of climate change; however just because it doesn't fit current theory/prediction doesn't make the data any less valid.

My point is that the potential threats man-made climate change poses to the Natural World could be catastrophic -as much through the rate of change as the amount of change; however our current climate models are too crude to make accurate predictions as there are undoubtedly 'natural' buffers which may slow the rate of change (the converse also applies -eg permafrost release of methane).

Surely all aspects need to be studied & findings which seem to buck the predicted trends especially so as these may offer windows of opportunity which allow us to manipulate & enhance natural buffers which might palliate the final outcome.

Science is science. In the scientific process surely validated evidence should define the theory & not the converse. Currently researchers who come up with data which doesn't easily fit the climate change models are attracting inappropriate criticism. There are no heretics in science there's just good research & bad research .......... so lets not shoot the messenger!!
 
Tim Allwood said:
A friend of mine is investigating the effects of climate change on tropical birds... don't expect it too be much of a good thing. Coupled with inability to extract / or lack of, suitable food resources in their 'new' and forced habitat, places like Peru, Ecuador, Colombia etc where there is such an altitude / habitat gradient might be in for big trouble.
Click to expand...

Columbia is planning a doubling of area under biofuels in the next five years (I think it was that timeframe), with expected further increases in the future. Not only has this led to forest destruction already, but it is reportedly the case that subsistence farmers are routinely being pushed off their land, killed in some cases if they chose to object. Much the same in Indonesia and Malaysia.

I kind'a think that, were I to be a forest bird or bug, I'd like to take risks of a warmer environment over a nice barren patch of clearfell or monoculture. Were I to be a subsistence farmer, I think I'd prefer a bit more sun to a bullet in the back of my head.
 
Last edited:
Jos Stratford said:
I kind'a think that, were I to be a forest bird or bug, I'd like to take risks of a warmer environment over a nice barren patch of clearfell or monoculture. Were I to be a subsistence farmer, I think I'd prefer a bit more sun to a bullet in the back of my head.
Click to expand...

me too of course... everyone wants to improve their life

those Washington bullets get everywhere

Tim
 
Karl J said:
I reckon the Clarksons of this world and the 'Up Yours, I'll Fly Where I Like' brigade probably cant believe their luck that a national newspaper has come up with that
Click to expand...

If The Times doesn't meet your rigorous criteria for factual information-perhaps Science might meet with your approval?;-

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1142834v1

Can't see Clarkson reading this myself-but anyone who craves facts about global warming effects (good as well as bad ) rather than politically correct models & forecasts should find it interesting:-

http://www.mbari.org/news/news_releases/2007/icebergs.html

Colin
 
Warning! This thread is more than 17 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

01101001
The ultimate range maps
Replies
16
Views
851
THE_FERN
T
Mysticete
The Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Burton
Replies
3
Views
863
anniesteuber
A
B
Hello everyone.
Replies
6
Views
410
Chris G6 UXU
Chris G6 UXU
ApusApus
Bird Photographer Of The Year
Replies
1
Views
463
Lisa W
Lisa W
F
Good bird watching camera to film 4K videos with zoom
Replies
6
Views
2K
Floridabirding
F

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top