Bald eagles are among the iconic birds that may be impacted by a changing climate in ways that are still unknown.
More Birds Expected for Majority of National Parks—Here's Why
Climate change may have big impacts on avian species, and all the results may not be positive.
Dozens of different birds—Northern pintails, wild turkeys, Franklin's gulls, Steller's jays, and cedar waxwings, just to name a few—make homes for themselves in Yellowstone National Park during at least part of the year. Millions of birdwatchers make their way here and to national parks all over the country each year to see them.
Collectively, birdwatchers spend some $107 billion dollars annually in the U.S. But if climate change continues uninterrupted, duck enthusiasts may have to travel elsewhere if they wish to catch a glimpse of a Northern pintail. By 2050, this species could no longer find suitable habitat in Yellowstone. On the other hand, avian enthusiasts could begin to see the Western scrub jay showing up there, at least in
