Experts raise concerns after observing unprecedented change in species: 'It shouldn't be here'

Rising global temperatures have contributed to unpredictable weather events, but one constant is that wildlife is doing its best to adapt to the changing climate. Songbirds that used to migrate to warmer climates during winter have been spotted in Maine year-round, as the state experiences shorter and milder winters, Maine Public reported. 

What's happening?

Over half of the more than 650 breeding bird species of North America are migratory, according to All About Birds, meaning these birds undertake the seasonal journeys of moving from one area to another. Birds migrate primarily because their food is limited during harsh winter months, and escaping to a warmer environment is also more enjoyable than shivering in the cold. 

With the consistent uptrend in global temperatures, however, even the coldest states in the country are not so bad during winter. Maine, which ranked eighth on a list of the nation's worst winter states, according to Thrillist, has warmed in winter a shocking 5 degrees Fahrenheit compared to a century ago. Maine's cold season is also two weeks shorter than it used to be.

Birds that were once uncommon in wintertime are becoming prevalent.

Red-bellied woodpeckers, for example, a formerly southern bird species, have been spotted in Maine throughout the year, according to Maine Public.

The Carolina wren has also expanded northward, making regular appearances in Maine backyards. Bird field guides are now out of date, misleading bird enthusiasts. 

"Until the 1980s or so, Carolina wrens were barely into southern New England. So a lot of people see an old map like that, and just think, 'Oh, this bird. It shouldn't be here,' but that's really what the change has been," said Doug Hitchcox, staff naturalist with Maine Audubon, per Maine Public. 

Why are rising global temperatures concerning?

Rising global temperatures, caused by heat-trapping gases that come from the burning of dirty fuels for energy, are affecting wildlife behavior, causing birds to shift their natural migratory patterns. Extreme heat has pushed Ugandan wildlife, such as monkeys, snakes, and elephants, out of their natural habitats and into new environments — typically urban areas already inhabited by humans. 

As the planet gets warmer, sea levels rise, posing imminent flooding threats to coastal cities and towns, and extreme weather events become more frequent and severe.  

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What's being done about rising global temperatures?

One hundred ninety-five nations committed to combating rising global temperatures by endorsing the Paris Agreement, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. The Paris Agreement represents a global effort to reduce pollution and limit the global average temperature rise to below 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. 

While the United States has stepped back from this global accord with a planned exit in 2026, other countries are committed to achieving its goals, according to Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, per Reuters.

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