Audubon’s Birds and Climate Study: From Bioclimatic Envelopes to Implications for Montana

Abstract

This past fall National Audubon Society released an extensive “Birds and Climate” report which modeled future climatic distribution for over 500 North American bird species.  In sum, 314 bird species were shown to be significantly imperiled as we move through this century.  In Montana, over 230 bird species are at risk. This Birds and Climate report, similar to other recent published studies, uses bioclimatic models to predict future climate envelopes for each species. This presentation will describe what these models predict, how they are used, and how they can be combined and overlain with ecologically sensitive habitat maps. We would like to begin a discussion about their usefulness in bird prioritization and conservation. Can peering into the future with bioclimatic modeling help us plan our habitat projects and efforts toward protecting priority species? Let’s start the conversation about their applicability and usefulness to Montana biologists and conservationists.