Modeling Bird Distribution Responses to Climate Change:
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Modeling Bird Distribution Responses to Climate Change:
A mapping tool to assist land managers and scientists in California

   About the Maps & Data
  
     

Step 1

Choose bird distributions, vegetation, or climate:

You must select an option from the dropdown list first.

Species Distributions

Step 2

Select a habitat type:

Step 3

Select a species:

Results from climate model
and algorithm

Select other data:
Current range maps (more info)
Species Range
Show locations for this species
Species
Present		 Species
Absent


Climate

Step 2 

Select climate model:

Step 3 

Select climate variable:

Select other data:
Show study locations
Study Sites


Vegetation

Step 2 

Select climate model:

Select other data:
Show study locations
Study Sites
                   

Using this website


Follow each Step above to see current and future maps about bird species distribution, climate or habitat. Move your mouse over any to get more information about each selection.

Using this website


Follow each Step above to see current and future maps of bird species distributions, vegetation, or climate variables. Move your mouse over any to get more information about each selection.

Summary


California's terrestrial ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to future changes in the global climate, including increased temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and changes in human infrastructure and development.

Information on the potential effects of climate change on bird communities can help guide effective conservation and inform land management decisions.

We are using climate models and multi-source bird data, networked for the first time thanks to the Avian Knowledge Network, to predict current and future species distributions for California terrestrial breeding bird species. Currently, we have 60 species available for viewing. These California Partners in Flight (CalPIF) focal species represent 5 major habitat types found within California including riparian, oak woodland, scrub, conifer, and grassland habitat types.

It is important to remember that models, however sophisticated, are simplifications of reality. Due to various sources of uncertainty in climate models and species distribution models, climate change projections will differ depending on which combination of models is selected. Each projection may be viewed as a plausible future scenario; areas where multiple models agree can be interpreted with greater confidence.

To learn more about this project's research, read the PLoS ONE article "Reshuffling of species with climate disruption: A no-analog future for California birds?" or read the related paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on species distributional modeling.

To learn more about our research on birds and climate change, including what you can do to help, please visit PRBO's Climate Change, Birds, and Conservation website.

 - variable definitions

 - variable definitions

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant number DBI-0542868. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or PRBO Conservation Science.

 
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