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Canaries in the Coal Mine

• Birds have long been indicators of the health of our environment.

For many years, coal miners took canaries in cages deep into the pits. When a canary showed any signs of stress, the miners knew they needed to get out!

Photo contributed by www.robirda.com

Signs of a Changing Climate

Forest FiresA warmer climate is causing fires to belarger and hotter,burning more habitatmore often.

Signs of a Changing Climate

Shrinking GlaciersMost glaciers areshrinking, causinglakes to form andsea levels to rise.

Signs of a Changing Climate

Intense WeatherHeat waves,windstorms, hurricanes,floods, and droughtdamage habitat.

Signs of a Changing Climate

Melting IceIce at the earth’spoles is melting.

What is CLIMATE?

Climate is the average weather in

a place over many years.

Weather can change in just a few minutes, but climate takes years to change.

Why is Climate Changing?The Carbon Timeline

A long, long time ago, volcanoes spewed steam, ammonia,methane, and CARBON DIOXIDE.

Why is Climate Changing?The Carbon Timeline

The CARBON in Carbon Dioxide became part of the rocks,swamps, and atmosphere over 4 million years ago.

Why is Climate Changing?The Carbon Timeline

Today, CARBON is found in lots of things:

Diamonds - the hardest

substance on earth

Pencils - the soft, dark center,

also known as graphite

Why is Climate Changing?The Carbon Timeline

CARBON is still a part of our atmosphere - in the form of CARBON DIOXIDE.

Carbon Dioxide Molecule

Why is Climate Changing?The Carbon Timeline

Water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, and CARBON DIOXIDE are a group of molecules known as

Greenhouse Gases.

Why is Climate Changing?The Carbon Timeline

Greenhouse gases absorb the sun’s heat,making Earth warm enough for life. Buttoo many greenhouse gases can causeEarth’s temperature to rise!

Over the last 50 years, the earth’s temperature has risen an estimated 1oF (0.6oC).

Why is Climate Changing?

Almost everything we do emits carbon. As human activitiesincrease, the more carbon and other greenhouse gase weadd to the atmosphere….warming our climate.

Birds in a Changing ClimateMigration

Climate change can affect migration.

• Timing of departure

• Timing of arrival

Barn Swallows are arriving on breeding grounds as many as 14 days early.

Birds in a Changing ClimateRange

As temperatures warm, somemigratory birds are nesting asmany as 60 miles (100 km)farther north today.

Yellow Warbler at nest.

Birds in a Changing ClimateRange

Some birds may have a morerestricted range.

In parts of southern Canada, Gray Jay populations have declined as much as 60%.

Scientists suspect that this species’ food caches are rotting, and adults don’t have enough food to feed their young.

Birds in a Changing ClimateFood

Temperatures aren’t just warming onland. Oceans are warming too,affecting the foods that seabirds eat.

Cassin’s Auklets abandoned their eggs for the first time in 30 years. The birds may not have had sufficient food, because of warming ocean temperatures and changes in currents.

Birds in a Changing ClimateFood

On land, plants and insectsare flowering and hatchingearlier.

Scientists worry thatmigratory birds may arrivetoo late, missing importantfood resources.

Blackpoll Warblers eats mosquitoes, ants, aphids, spiders, and beetles.

Birds in a Changing ClimateHabitat

Birds depend on their habitats to survive. A changing climateis already affecting habitats.

Some habitats are more vulnerable than others.

Birds in a Changing ClimateHabitat ~ Prairie Pothole

The Prairie Pothole Region is called a“duck factory” because it is used bythousands of nesting ducks.

Droughts and warmer, drier weather could cause much of this wetland to disappear through evaporation.

Birds in a Changing ClimateHabitat ~ Boreal Forest

The Boreal Forest is the world’s largest forest habitat,covering 15% of the Earth’s land surface below the Arctic

Circle in Alaska, Canada, Siberia, and Europe.

Logging and other types of development release carbon stored in trees and soil, making climate change worse.

Birds in a Changing ClimateHabitat ~ Mangrove Forests

Mangroves are known as the “rainforests of the sea,”

because of the diverse wildlife that use them.

Rising sea levels, floods, and more intense hurricanes will have an affect on mangrove survival.

Birds in a Changing ClimateHabitat ~ Oceans

Oceans cover 71% of the Earth,

forming the largest habitat.

Oceans are warming and becoming more acidic, affecting the delicate balance of marine plants and animals.

Birds in a Changing ClimateHabitat ~ The Sahel

The Sahel is a scrubbyzone located just south ofThe Sahara, the world’s largest hot desert.

What’s Your Carbon Footprint?

A Carbon Footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide aperson contributes to the atmosphere.

The Average CO2 produced by the average person per year.

United States 44,000 poundsCanada 30,800 poundsUnited Kingdom 21,560 poundsMexico 9,240 poundsKenya 570 pounds

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint4 Simple Ways

Compact fluorescent bulbs will lower your energy bill and emit one third the carbon.

1. Switch from standard light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs.

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

2. Carpool, takeThe bus, walk, orride your bike.

Every mile you drive emits 1 pound of carbon.

3. Turn off the T.V. and even better, unplug it! Electronicsstill draw power when they are plugged in.

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

How much carbon do you emit watching t.v.? Do the math!

Number of hours per week x 33 = pounds of carbon.

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

4. Recycle, compost, and buy products with less packaging.

Each pound of solid waste contributes 1.5 pounds of greenhouse gases.

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