Connecticut Warbler
"Connecticut" Warbler
Ryan J. Bradshaw
This warbler’s not even a resident
of the U.S. state of Connecticut.
Be it summer or winter,
the name’s a false descriptor.
We just call them that for the heck of it.
According to The Cornell Lab, the first Connecticut Warbler specimen came from Connecticut, thus the name. But the species doesn’t spend its summers or winters there, and doesn’t even commonly migrate through the state.
According to Audubon’s Survival by Degrees study, the Connecticut Warbler is estimated to lose 85% of its current summer range in the not-too-distant future as average global temperatures rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Climate experts believe we will reach 1.5°C as soon as the early 2030s. If we allow global heating to progress at this rate, the Connecticut Warbler could lose 92% of its current summer range as soon as 2050 (2°C), and 100% as soon as 2080 (3°C). Projections suggest this species could gain 38% in new areas by the early 2030s, but that number could dwindle down to only 14% by 2080. Displaced birds may face new challenges and have varying degrees of success in nesting and rearing young.
Want to help? Visit the United Nations website for a list of actions that you can take!
Photograph courtesy of Nick Saunders
This project is supported by SK Arts
