Dead canaries in coal mines were a warning to miners that they were running out of oxygen.
Anna鈥檚 hummingbirds in 麻豆传媒映画in the winter are a warning to us all that time is of the essence to help birds survive the impact of climate change.
As much as it may please birders to have unusual sightings in British Columbia as weather patterns change, the concomitant stress on migratory birds is very worrying, said Richard Cannings, co-author of the new book, Best Places to Bird in British Columbia.
For instance, the population of the once ubiquitous barn swallow has decreased 75 to 80 per cent in Canada, he said. There are other species that have been declining as drastically.
鈥淏irds and birders provide the scientific community with a lot of very good data and often it鈥檚 the only good data we have to see how wildlife is adapting,鈥� Cannings said from a quiet phone booth in the House of Commons, where he sits as the NDP MP for South Okanagan-West Kootenay.
Many migrating birds such as ducks time their flight south with the weather and tend to fly only as far south as they need to. 鈥淭hey might be enjoying [the shorter commute],鈥� Cannings said. However, warmer temperatures mean that when they return, their nesting habitat isn鈥檛 what they thought it would be. 鈥淲hat is concerning is that, when they go back to their breeding grounds, the ponds will be drying up faster and more often.鈥�
Of B.C.鈥檚 500 bird species, about 20 fly as far south as Central and South America. 鈥淭hey have evolved a migrating timing system that鈥檚 set by their biological clock. They know, for instance, when it鈥檚 March 1. These birds have no idea what the climate is like [in B.C.] They鈥檙e insect-eating birds and the evolutionary setting of that clock coincided with when insect populations were at their highest. Now the birds come north, lay their eggs, their young hatch and the insect population has peaked two weeks before. These birds are out of synch with their food.
鈥淥ver the next few hundred years they鈥檒l 鈥榣earn鈥� to migrate earlier but the question is whether that will occur fast enough to keep up with climate change.鈥�
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Photo by Jason Kazuta Beautiful momma Anna's Hummingbird on her nest. - Vancouver, Canada
鈥� jenny (@jenwe5)
We have been taking many of these bird species for granted, he said. Rather than take action, some people seek out voices that tell them that, contrary to scientific research, human behaviour is not to blame.
鈥淚t鈥檚 what they want to hear so they cling to that,鈥� he says. 鈥淧eople react not so much to fact as their gut instinct.鈥�
As a respected biologist, and now as a politician, Cannings has learned that loading people with lots of scientific data won鈥檛 convince them that action is necessary. Pointing out how climate change has affected the number of birds in their backyard might be a more persuasive form of argument.
鈥淏irds are a window to our world,鈥� he said.
In the meantime, this is an exciting time to be a birder. Climate change and extreme weather systems have resulted in what used to be rare sightings, such as robins in the Arctic and scrub jays in Vancouver. (The details updated sightings.)
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starts this Saturday. It's also time for residents to vote on an official bird:
鈥� Bird Studies Canada (@BirdStudiesCan)
Before he returned to his duties as a parliamentarian, the Courier asked Cannings to weigh in on the great debate on what species should get the honour of being named Vancouver鈥檚 official bird. Four birds are .
鈥淭he varied thrush has a beautiful, ethereal song,鈥� he said.
The spotted towhee, however, is very common in backyards and 鈥渧ery handsome.鈥�
Choosing the Anna鈥檚 hummingbird would give Vancouverites one more reason to boast about their mild winters and the males 鈥渁re really good looking.鈥�
The northern flicker is the most common of woodpeckers but it鈥檚 also the bird that causes the most 鈥渋t鈥檚 destroying my house鈥� complaints. 鈥淚t might get a few negative votes.鈥�
Which would he choose? 鈥淚 like them all.鈥�
Best Places to Bird in British Columbia is by Richard Cannings and his son Russell, who was named as Canada鈥檚 top birder by Maclean鈥檚 magazine in 2012. Together they set a record by spotting 202 species in a 24-hour period. They also co-authored Birdfinding in British Columbia. As well as providing descriptions and locations of bird-watching sights, each destination in their latest book has a list of 鈥渙rnithological highlights鈥� as well as personal anecdotes. It is published by Greystone Books, which has provided the Courier with a copy of the book. We will give it to the tenth person to email [email protected].
