Changes in UK birds are showing us why we urgently need more climate action

This post is by Bethany Chamberlain, senior policy officer – climate change adaptation, at the RSPB.

It is no longer possible to ignore climate change in the UK as the impacts are here and now. Record-breaking hot summers are the new normal and the extremes are becoming more intense. There were 37 consecutive heatwave days across the UK and July in England and Wales was the driest since records began. This summer is on course to be the UK’s warmest since records began, surpassing the same record set just last year.

Climate change also makes extended periods of extreme winter rainfall seven times more likely, leading to destructive floods. Nearly seven million properties in the UK are now at risk. Northern Ireland had its wettest January in 149 years this year and annual flood damage is estimated at £3.3 billion per year.

The list goes on. But what does this mean for the natural world, and UK birds in particular? And why does it matter? A recent report from the RSPB and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) reveals the level of threat climate change poses and how to tackle it.

Climate change is reshaping bird populations 
I love birds, as you might expect from someone who works for the RSPB, but this love goes beyond a hobby as there are good reasons to care about how our bird populations are changing.

Birds are particularly sensitive to environmental change across geographical ranges and timespans. They are effective indicators of what climate change could mean for humans and other wildlife, as they provide an early warning system for changes to biodiversity. Monitoring birds is essential to help us find solutions and, in particular, how we can help the natural world to adapt.

To delve into a bit more detail, generalist species – those which tolerate a range of environmental conditions and food sources – are expanding their ranges across the UK, and some southern bird species, such as Cetti’s Warblers and Little Egret, are moving further north as areas become warmer.

While this may sound positive, the flip side is that rarer species and those adapted to colder, upland or coastal environments, or those with specialised diets, are vulnerable as the habitat suitable for them in the UK shrinks. We are also observing that wintering waterbird distributions are shifting north and eastwards, contributing to UK declines in species like the Bewick’s Swan and Goldeneye.

A mismatch between birds’ behaviour and seasonal changes is disrupting breeding and food availability. This particularly threatens long distance migratory species, such as the Common Cuckoo and Wood Warbler which are showing steep declines. For example, some birds rely on day length to time their migrations, whereas insect hatching (their food supply) relies instead on temperature which can vary greatly from one year to the next, particularly as the climate changes. This means migratory species can arrive behind or ahead of the time when food is available for their chicks.

Seabirds and upland birds are the most vulnerable in the absence of conservation measures. Upland species like Dotterels and Golden Plovers face challenges as previously cooler mountain climates warm. Seabirds such as Puffins, Fulmars and Arctic Terns are affected as the fish they feed on move north in search of cooler waters. More storms increase mortality too, this year’s storms led to tens of thousands of seabirds dying.

Solutions exist to help birds cope better 
While these impacts are cause for concern, there are plenty of solutions that would give the UK’s birds a fighting chance and we are calling for action in three key areas:

1. Adapt protections  
Research shows that places important for nature now are likely to remain so under changing climatic conditions, even if the species using them change. We are asking the government to strengthen and improve management of existing protected areas and incentivise the creation of new sites to accommodate the changing distribution of species.

2. Build resilience across the landscape   
Working with nature also supports urgent action to protect people, homes and livelihoods, as well as helping to reduce emissions. Peatlands in good condition slow the flow of water during storms and reduce flood risk; urban trees, as well as being a carbon store, provide shade and retain moisture which helps to keep towns and cities cool during heatwaves; and saltmarshes act as buffers protecting coastlines from sea level rise and erosion.

Restoring habitats that don’t have protected status would support more biodiversity, provide more space for vulnerable species and strengthen climate adaptation in the wider landscape. Financial incentives should drive this, so the Nature for Climate Fund (England), due to close early next year, should be replaced.

3. Integrate adaptation and nature-based solutions into policy
Climate adaptation and nature-based solutions should be built into all national mitigation and nature recovery strategies. A new minister for climate change adaptation would provide the critical and urgent oversight necessary to meet the scale of the challenge.

Climate change is the defining challenge of our generation, but we have a better understanding of how to tackle it than ever before. It will take urgent and co-ordinated action to do it. But when we look after nature, nature will look after us.