neighborhood flyways · populations in seattle city parks established in 1994, currently in nine...

NEIGHBORHOOD FLYWAYS

CITIES AS CLIMATE REFUGIA FOR BIRDS AND WILDLIFE

Urban Forestry SymposiumMay 21, 2019

Joshua Morris | Urban Conservation ManagerJennifer Lang | Conservation and Science

Coordinator

Photo by Glenn Bartley

I. Introduction to Seattle AudubonII. Historical and continuing threats to birdsIII.Projected climate change impacts to birdsIV.Role of the urban forest in supporting birdsV. Opportunities and challenges going forward

OUTLINE

Photo by Glenn Bartley

Seattle AudubonServing Seattle, birds, and nature since 1916

We lead a local community in appreciating, understanding, and protecting birds.

VARIED THRUSH

Photo by Glenn Bartley

VARIED THRUSH

Photo by Glenn BartleyPhoto by Sarah McDevitt (Creative Commons)

HISTORICAL SEATTLE

Photo by Glenn Bartley

Image credit: Burke Museum, Waterlines ProjectN

SEATTLE TODAY

Photo by Glenn Bartley

Image credit: Google EarthN

54% OF U.S. NOW SUBURBAN/URBAN MATRIX

Photo by Daniel Lobo (Creative Commons)

Plants in suburban and urban areas tend to be about 80% non-native.

II. Threats

INVASIVE SPECIES ALSO TAKE A TOLL.

Image credit: Vishnevskiy Vasiliy/iStockphoto

X 2.4 BILLION

SO DOES GLASS.

Image credit: Joshua Morris

X 1 BILLION

AND POLLUTION.

Image credit: Chris Jordan

POLLUTION

Image credit: Puget Soundkeeper Alliance

HUMAN EXPLOITATION AND PERSECUTION, TOO.

Image credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art Image credit: Smith Bennet/Creative Commons

CITIES CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR BIRDS

Image credit: FTiare / iStock

CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PNW

The combined impacts of increasing wildfire, insect outbreaks, and tree diseases are already causing widespread tree die-off.

National Climate Assessment 2018

CLIMATE CHANGE AND BIRDS

Climate Change Shifts in Range

For plants and wildlife, climate change affects their ability to survive in their current location

Image credit: National Audubon’s Birds and Climate Change Report 2014

CLIMATE CHANGE AND BIRDS

Image credit: Carolyn McDonald/Audubon Photography Awards

At least 168 climate threatened species in WA. Around half are forest dependent.

Image credit: Gregg Thompson/Bird Note

72% of summer range lost by 2080 79% of summer range lost by 208076% of summer range lost by 2080

AMERICAN KESTREL WILSON’S WARBLER

BROWN CREEPER

Image credit: Heather Roskelly/Audubon Photography Awards

CLIMATE WATCH: BIRD RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE Community science program exploring how North American birds are responding to climate change

Image credit: Megumi Aita/Audubon Photography Awards

CLIMATE WATCH: BIRD RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE Community science program exploring how North American birds are responding to climate change

Image credit: Megumi Aita/Audubon Photography Awards

CLIMATE WATCH: BIRD RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE Community science program exploring how North American birds are responding to climate change

Image credit: Megumi Aita/Audubon Photography Awards

CLIMATE WATCH: BIRD RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE Community science program exploring how North American birds are responding to climate change

Image credit: Megumi Aita/Audubon Photography Awards

THE URBAN FOREST CAN HELP

CASE: GRAY-HEADED FLYING FOX IN AUSTRALIA

Image credit: Andrew Mercer/Wikimedia Commons

HOW CAN THE URBAN FOREST PROVIDE ABUNDANT, YEAR-

ROUND RESOURCES TO BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE?

NEED 1: ROOSTING

Image credit: Dennis Paulson/Slater Museum of Natural History

NEED 2: FOOD

Image credit: Mick Thompson/Eastside Audubon

NEED 2: FOOD

Theresa Scheller/Audubon Photography AwardsImage credit: Robert Cook/Audubon Photography AwardsImage credit: Nick Saunders/Great Backyard Bird Count

NEED 3: PROTECTION/SHELTER

Image credit: Joshua Morris

Image credit: Ed Macie

NEIGHBORHOOD BIRD PROJECT

Documenting Urban Bird Populations in Seattle City Parks

● Established in 1994, currently in nine

city parks

● Standard protocol surveys to record

birds monthly throughout the year

● Total of 215 species and 133,330

individual birds recorded since 1996

BIGGER IS BETTER

Terrestrial Species-Area Curve

Goal: Unbroken habitat corridors all across the city.

Goal: Unbroken habitat corridors all across the city.

NEIGHBORHOOD FLYWAYS AT SCHOOL

SEATTLE’S URBAN FORESTS

Forest dependent species live in Seattle’s Urban Greenspaces year-round

Pileated WoodpeckerImage: Gary Mueller / Great Backyard Bird Count

Varied ThrushImage: Heather Roskelly / Audubon Photography Awards

Brown CreeperImage: Roseanne Caleca / Audubon Photography Awards

LESS CANOPY COVER = FEWER OBSERVED BIRDS

LESS CANOPY COVER = FEWER OBSERVED BIRDS

SEWARD PARK IS AN OUTLIER. WHY?

SUGGESTIVE MODEL FOR TREE LOSS IN SEATTLE

28% Canopy Cover in 2016.0.09 Observation Frequency Index

SUGGESTIVE MODEL FOR TREE LOSS IN SEATTLE

23% Canopy Cover0.04 Observation Frequency Index

28% Canopy Cover in 20160.09 Observation Frequency Index

SUGGESTIVE MODEL FOR TREE LOSS IN SEATTLE

30% Canopy Cover0.11 Observation Frequency Index

23% Canopy Cover0.04 Observation Frequency Index

28% Canopy Cover in 20160.09 Observation Frequency Index

SUMMARY

Birds face many threats.

Climate change exacerbates challenges to birds.

Our urban forest could provide refuge.

Our urban forest is declining.

CHALLENGES

● Tree protection ordinance● High percentage of SFR● Pocket/rooftop habitats● Environmentally friendly

population ● Passionate tree advocate

community in Seattle

●Tree protection ordinance

●Few incentives to keep trees

●Native conifers not preferred for landscaping/along streets.

●Continuing development

OPPORTUNITIES

THANK YOU!

What questions do you have?

Contact us:joshm@seattleaudubon.orgjenniferl@seattleaudubon.org