Topline:
A UC Berkeley study says there’s been a dramatic drop in bird populations over the last century in the Los Angeles region— and climate change and urbanization are to blame.
Why it matters: More than one third of L.A.’s bird species have declined due to climate change and urbanization in the last 100 years, according to a new UC Berkeley study. The findings say that less precipitation, rising temperatures and increasing urban development have displaced various bird species in the last century.
Why now: With a hotter, drier climate and less green spaces, many birds have lost places to live and eat. Encroaching urban sprawl has resulted in less natural land cover and increased mortality risk “due to predation by domestic cats and collisions with automobiles and building windows.”
The backstory: Researchers tracked birds around the region and compared their findings to data collected in the 1890s. Surveying over 70 locations, they examined land use, average temperature and average rainfall over the decades.
What’s next:
Steve Beissenger, a UC Berkeley ecology professor who authored the study, says maintaining green spaces throughout the city can allow birds to find refuge in more suitable habitats. Also, keeping your feline friends inside can deter them from preying on birds in your neighborhood.
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