Winged Sentinels

Description

'The ability of the birds to show us the consequences of our own actions is among their most important and least appreciated attributes. Despite the free advice of the birds, we do not pay attention', said Marjory Stoneman Douglas in 1947. From ice-dependent penguins of Antarctica to songbirds that migrate across the Sahara, birds' responses provide early warning signs of the impact of climate change. Winged Sentinels: Birds and Climate Change uses colourful examples to show how particular groups of birds face heightened threats from climate change and to explore how we can help birds adapt in a warming world. Generously illustrated with colour photographs, the book is a fascinating insight into what climate change means for birds, and the potential consequences of ignoring these warning signs.

Author description

Janice Wormworth is a freelance science writer. Cagan H. Sekercioglu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Utah.

Table of contents

1. Phenology: seasonal timing and mismatch; 2. Migratory birds face climate turbulence; 3. Range shifts and reshuffled communities; 4. Seabirds herald ocean changes; 5. Climate change, abundance and extinction; 6. Tropical warming and habitat islands; 7. Shifting ground on conversation.