|
Carolina wren, others nudged north |
The Carolina wren — the state bird of South Carolina — has turned into a Yankee.It’s among more than half of 305 bird species in North America that are spending the winter about 35 miles farther north than they did 40 years ago, according to an Audubon Society study to be released today.Based on Audubon’s calculations, the Carolina wren is now commonly seen in the winter well into New England, as well as its namesake state of South Carolina.“Twenty years ago, I remember people driving hours to see the one Carolina wren in the state,” said Jeff Wells, an ornithologist based in southern Maine. “Now, every year I get two or three just in my area. Obviously, things have changed.”The Audubon study tracks changes in bird migration as winter temperatures have warmed. The purple finch seems to be the canary in the coal mine when it comes to global warming.
|
