[NatureNS] Birds face longer migrations due to climate change

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Date: Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:37:32 -0300
From: Suzanne Townsend <suzanne.townsend@gmail.com>
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I knew if I posted it here, if it were off the wall someone would comment.
Thank you Paul! Hope you post your comments at the source.
--ST

On Wed, Apr 15, 2009 at 8:01 PM, Paul S. Boyer <psboyer@eastlink.ca> wrote:

> This is a good example of GW hysteria by the mainstream media, in this ca=
se
> by the highly unreliable Reuters.  The article is pure speculation.  It a=
lso
> ignores the fact that the Earth was warmer just 7,000 years ago, and cold=
er
> during the Little Ice Age, and warblers seem to have made it through thos=
e
> changes just fine.
> The principle problem for birds migrating between Europe and Africa, like
> those described in the article, is loss of habitat (particularly in Afric=
a).
>  It is also generally true that the bigger the bird, the more likely it i=
s
> to be pestered by humans: chased, shot, eaten, &c.
>
> The conversion of temperature into an equivalent surface distance needed
> for migration assumes that temperature is the main control of bird
> migration, which almost everyone who has studied the subject knows is jus=
t
> not true.  Food is the main motive for migration, and the food needs vary
> according to species.  Birds will put up with a wide range of temperature=
s,
> if the food is available.  That is the reason so many feeder-species have
> moved north, and now stay longer in the winter: if the food is adequate,
> they will stay.  It is one of the amazing things we observe: tiny little
> creatures, out in the cold, with nothing but a thin layer of puffed-out
> feathers to separate them from freezing =97 and yet they can handle this,=
 if
> they have enough food.  They certainly can tolerate temperature extremes
> much better than unprotected humans.
>
> Canada Geese have largely given up migration entirely, because they find =
it
> easier to graze on man-made lawns than to make an arduous migration fligh=
t.
>  This certainly does not indicate that the seasons have ceased to occur.
>
> I have not been able to find a single convincing case of a migration
> problem which would be caused by a change in a fraction of a degree.
>  Indeed, the severity of winters from year to years varies by much more t=
han
> that.
>
> There is much we do not understand about bird migration.  There is also
> much we have to discover about changes in bird population.  Our lack of
> complete knowledge is no reason for us uncritically to believe every
> tendentious news story which comes along.
>
>
>  On 15 Apr 2009, at 2:03 PM, Suzanne Townsend wrote:
>
>
> http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE53D7G220090415?feed=
Type=3DRSS&feedName=3DenvironmentNews
>
>
>

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<div>I knew if I posted it here, if it were off the wall someone would comm=
ent. Thank you Paul! Hope you post your comments at the source.</div>
<div>--ST<br><br></div>
<div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Wed, Apr 15, 2009 at 8:01 PM, Paul S. Boyer <=
span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:psboyer@eastlink.ca">psboyer@eastlin=
k.ca</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0=
px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">
<div style=3D"WORD-WRAP: break-word">This is a good example of GW hysteria =
by the mainstream media, in this case by the highly unreliable Reuters. =A0=
The article is pure speculation. =A0It also ignores the fact that the Earth=
 was warmer just 7,000 years ago, and colder during the Little Ice Age, and=
 warblers seem to have made it through those changes just fine.=20
<div><br></div>
<div>The principle problem for birds migrating between Europe and Africa, l=
ike those described in the article, is loss of habitat (particularly in Afr=
ica). =A0It is also generally true that the bigger the bird, the more likel=
y it is to be pestered by humans: chased, shot, eaten, &amp;c.</div>

<div><br></div>
<div>The conversion of temperature into an equivalent surface distance need=
ed for migration assumes that temperature is the main control of bird migra=
tion, which almost everyone who has studied the subject knows is just not t=
rue. =A0Food is the main motive for migration, and the food needs vary acco=
rding to species. =A0Birds will put up with a wide range of temperatures, i=
f the food is available. =A0That is the reason so many feeder-species have =
moved north, and now stay longer in the winter: if the food is adequate, th=
ey will stay. =A0It is one of the amazing things we observe: tiny little cr=
eatures, out in the cold, with nothing but a thin layer of puffed-out feath=
ers to separate them from freezing =97 and yet they can handle this, if the=
y have enough food. =A0They certainly can tolerate temperature extremes muc=
h better than unprotected humans.</div>

<div><br></div>
<div>Canada Geese have largely given up migration entirely, because they fi=
nd it easier to graze on man-made lawns than to make an arduous migration f=
light. =A0This certainly does not indicate that the seasons have ceased to =
occur.</div>

<div><br></div>
<div>I have not been able to find a single convincing case of a migration p=
roblem which would be caused by a change in a fraction of a degree. =A0Inde=
ed, the severity of winters from year to years varies by much more than tha=
t.</div>

<div><br></div>
<div>There is much we do not understand about bird migration. =A0There is a=
lso much we have to discover about changes in bird population. =A0Our lack =
of complete knowledge is no reason for us uncritically to believe every ten=
dentious news story which comes along.</div>

<div class=3D"im">
<div><br></div>
<div><br>
<div>
<div>On 15 Apr 2009, at 2:03 PM, Suzanne Townsend wrote:</div><br>
<blockquote type=3D"cite"><a href=3D"http://www.reuters.com/article/environ=
mentNews/idUSTRE53D7G220090415?feedType=3DRSS&amp;feedName=3DenvironmentNew=
s" target=3D"_blank">http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE=
53D7G220090415?feedType=3DRSS&amp;feedName=3DenvironmentNews</a></blockquot=
e>
</div><br></div></div></div></blockquote></div><br>

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