Climate Change Threatens Most US Birds With Extinction: Report

A report released Thursday from the bird-conservation group, the National Audubon Society, has found that around two-thirds of all bird species in the U.S. will soon face extinction due to climate change. This finding accounts for the planet’s average temperature rising by 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit by the year 2100.

According to the report, titled “Survival by Degrees: Bird Species on the Brink,” 389 out of the 604 species studied are specifically at risk. The report singles out several state birds on that list, including California’s quail, Minnesota’s common loon, and New Jersey’s goldfinch.

“A lot of people paid attention to last month’s report that North America has lost nearly a third of its birds,” said David Yarnold, CEO and president of Audubon. “This new data pivots forward and imagines an even more frightening future. It's a bird emergency.”

The report based its findings on roughly 140 million records compiled by biologists and enthusiasts from across North America. The report not only looked at the effects of rising temperatures, but also factors like rising water levels, increased urbanization, and extreme weather patterns, CNN reports.

“Birds are important indicator species because if an ecosystem is broken for birds, it is or soon will be for people, too,” said Brooke Bateman, Audubon's senior climate scientist.

The report ultimately urged for the curbing of greenhouse gas emissions, as slowing the rate of climate change would greatly improve these species’ likelihood of survival.