ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, September 22, 1996 TAG: 9609240039
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Associated Press
Global warming is threatening bird migration from the tips of South America and Africa to the outer reaches of the Arctic, a wildlife group reported last week.
In human terms, millions of birds on their annual journey face the prospect of filthy rest stops, empty gas stations and motels with ``no vacancy'' signs.
The specific dangers are receding coastlines, changes in the start of seasons and drier weather worldwide, said a report by the World Wildlife Fund.
Bird-watchers are reporting subtle changes in bird sightings in scattered parts of the globe. But scientists are uncertain how much the changing weather is to blame or how it will affect species in the future.
The study, released at a news conference with a panel of outside experts, concluded that a wide range of migratory species, from geese to songbirds, are in danger.
``The effect of global warming on bird migrations is like a family setting out on a cross-country road trip only to discover that all the gas stations, hotels and restaurants are closed. You wouldn't get too far, and you might not even survive,'' said Adam Markham, head of the fund's Global Climate Change Campaign.
The experts did not challenge any of the report's conclusions, but said more study and observation are needed to reach scientific conclusions about the effects of global warming on birds
Jeff Price, director of the Washington-based American Bird Conservancy's Important Bird Area Program, said many conditions can affect bird migration.
``It could take another 150 years to figure out that it is or is not global warming,'' he said. But he said species are disappearing, and the economic impact could be far-reaching, with no birds to feed on tree-destroying insects.
Stephen Leatherman, director of the University of Maryland's Laboratory for Coastal Research, said scientists are concerned about the rapid rate of change in the earth.
He said sea levels have risen more in the past 100 years than in the previous 1,000 years, and are beginning to cover up bird habitats in coastal areas.
Some birds fly thousands of miles each year, relying on consistent weather patterns and the availability of food in long-used feeding grounds to complete their migration.
The report includes several projections of problems birds would face if warming trends continue. Global warming could affect key bird migration areas ranging from the Great Salt Lake and Chesapeake and Delaware bays in North America to the entire Arctic, the Mediterranean and the Yangtze Delta and East China Coastal Plain.
Already there is evidence that climate-related changes are occurring, Markham said. British ornithologists report earlier laying dates over 30 years for several species, while a trend toward earlier migration has been noted in Michigan. Both changes correlate with rising temperatures, Markham said.
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