BIRDS LOSING GROUND: Some bird species are moving 
father north due to climate change and habitat loss. 
Details ahead on Passport to Texas.

This is Passport to Texas

According to a National Audubon Society report on birds 
and climate change, 314 of the 588 North American bird 
species studied will lose more than 50 percent of their 
current climatic range by 2080.

Ornithologist, Cliff Shackelford, says climate change is 
impacting these species. As the temperatures rise, birds 
move north. Another reason is habitat alteration.

33—The interesting thing is that probably four or five decades ago 
there was another pulse or movement of birds that might not have 
been related to climate change. And what some people have 
suggested is a lot of these birds are extending their range because of 
fire suppression where grasslands were probably a good barrier to a 
lot of these woodland birds. And now that we don’t have fires to 
maintain grass, we have trees encroaching. Things like mesquite, 
huisache and retama are increasing, and a lot of those South Texas 
birds are moving in response to that.

Some birds, like the golden-cheeked warbler, are already 
endangered because of habitat alteration. And if 
something’s not done to restore the habitat, many more 
birds could find themselves without a suitable home.

09—They’re specialized they need a very specific habitat and when 
that is whittled away, they’re not able to adapt to other 
environments.

The Wildlife Restoration program supports our series.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.








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Maximum Script time:			0:43.0	         	          Suggested show time: 85.0 = 1:25