13 Apr 2007 Birds ‘Struggle to Cope’ …With More Plentiful Food?

Birds harmed by global warming? That’s what the British Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and a headline writer for this story want you to believe:

Birds ‘Struggle to Cope’ with Climate Change

Birds are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the changing British climate, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has warned.

Milder winters and cold snaps are affecting feeding routines and altering migratory patterns.

As a result, the number of birds counted by participants in January’s Big Garden Birdwatch was down, with some breeds hitting a five-year low.

The charity noted that warmer weather had meant that many birds were able to feed in the countryside and were therefore not visiting garden bird tables as frequently.

In other words, nature is providing more food for the birds. Increased food availability is probably not something the birds themselves regard as a “struggle to cope.”

Ruth Davis, head of climate change policy at the RSPB, also said that the survey only provided a very brief snapshot, as the figures were gathered over a single weekend.

But she cautioned that birds were feeling the impact of climate change and urged everyone to think about how their lives damaged the environment.

Yes, a weekend’s worth of data should be enough to convince anybody. Why, that’s a full two days!

“Although the mild winter seems to have provided more food for songbirds in the countryside this year, as changes to our climate become more extreme, many birds will struggle to cope with the altered weather patterns,” Ms. Davis warned…

The birds are thriving. There is no evidence in thi entire story that birds are struggling in any way whatsoever.

Read the entire story here if you don’t believe a headline and a thesis can be this far removed from what the facts in the story truly reveal.
_____

Labels: Climate, Environment, Media