How Climate Change May Push Out Northern Birds as Southern Birds Take Control

New research on chickadee species has revealed that southern bird species may be moving far more north than expected. This has important implications as temperatures continue to rise over time.

In this latest study, the researchers looked at the northern and southern Carolina species of chickadees. They looked at the predicted effects of climate change on both species of chickadee with an eye toward examining how rising temperatures are influencing their location.

The researchers collected information about where each of the chickadee species occurs and recorded climate information from each location where the birds have been observed. Then, the scientists projected the data onto a map and identified areas where the climate was most suitable for each species. When the researchers compared the suitable areas to the areas where the birds are actually located, they found that the northern species was often absent from large areas with suitable climate.

"We found that climate change can both directly and indirectly affect species distributions and hybrid zone location," said Michael McQuillan, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Additionally, our results lend support to the hypothesis that physical factors regulate species' poleward range limits, while biological factors shape range limits near the equator."

The researchers speculated that the lack of the northern species in certain areas could be attributed to competition or hybridization. In addition, the two types of chickadees are being affected differently; the southern species is being pushed north due to climate change and the northern species are being displaced.

The findings are important when it comes to better understanding how climate will impact bird species distribution in the future.

The findings are published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.

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