As our climate changes, the bird species we see in our national parks will change, too. On average, one-quarter of bird species found in a given national park could be completely different by 2050 if carbon emissions continue at their current pace. At Shenandoah, the Chesapeake watershed’s largest national park, up to 41 bird species may no longer find suitable habitat by 2050.
New research, led by the National Audubon Society and National Park Service and published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE, underscores the need to safeguard and manage protected lands for birds and wildlife in a changing world. Click through to view interactive graphics and read more.