Birds Fly Farther North to Escape Warming Climate, Study Shows

European birds have been moving gradually northward over the last 25 years, likely seeking cooler regions as the climate warms, a new study says. In a study of 42 bird species, the researchers found that southern European species like the Dartford warbler and Cirl bunting had grown more common in Britain from 1980 to 2004, while northern European species like the fieldfare and redwing had become less frequent. Highly mobile animals like birds will be the first to shift their habitats in response to climate change, scientists predict. “Birds and butterflies are two of the groups where there is the best evidence that species are already showing responses to the changing climate,” said study co-author Brian Huntley of Durham University.