Alaska’s Migratory Birds Cope with Climate Change
- Arctic Shorebird Photo
- WCS studies changes in the seasonal nesting patterns of tundra-nesting birds.
- ©Steve Zack
The treeless tundra might not seem like the most obvious roost for birds, but in fact, the Arctic coastal plain of Alaska is one of the most productive wetland nesting grounds in the world. Each spring, millions of birds migrate to the Arctic from their wintering grounds in practically every part of the globe. More than 25 species—mostly shorebirds and waterfowl—feast on young plant growth and insects to build up their energy reserves before they mate, and produce the next generation of birds. These fertile grounds are also home to musk oxen, caribou, and polar bears.
Challenges
WCS conservationists have observed a variety of potential impacts of climate change on tundra-nesting birds. One result is that the Arctic Ocean coastline is facing an increased rate of erosion. This is introducing salty ocean water into freshwater marshes, which could be impacting the birds that feed in these coastal marshes before winging their way south after the breeding season. Climate change has also resulted in an earlier spring in Arctic Alaska. Some birds are nesting more than a week earlier than they did 25 years ago—a small change with potentially grave consequences. The shift may interrupt an important correlation between the hatching of chicks and the emergence of insect prey, a key source of food for baby birds. Lastly, a drying trend seems to be taking place in many parts of the Arctic tundra. As lakes and ponds shrink in size, the birds that feed along the water edges may have a harder time finding insects to eat.
Goals
- Provide baseline information and track changes on overall distribution, abundance, and population trends for shorebirds in Arctic Alaska.
- Develop management strategies that lessen the stress of energy extraction activities and climate change on wildlife.
- Work with conservation planners to protect areas of habitat that are most resilient to the effects of climate change.
What WCS is Doing
WCS-North America conservationists are studying changes in the seasonal nesting patterns of tundra-nesting birds. As we follow the nesting biology of shorebirds and waterfowl in Arctic Alaska, we are able to identify key areas for conservation in this changing landscape of warmer springs and expanding energy development.
From the Newsroom
WCS receives $100,000 for Arctic wildlife conservation and climate change research from Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green.
WCS scientists working in northern Alaska spot a shorebird originally tagged 8,000 miles away, in Victoria, Australia. The bar-tailed godwit flew the length of the Pacific in an epic journey that underscores the importance of this northern breeding ground.
Birds and other wildlife score protection from energy exploration in Alaska’s Teshekpuk Lake region. At 23 million acres, Teshekpuk is the largest single piece of public land in the U.S.