The British birds that will thrive as Earth warms up

Climate change will give some rare species a new lease of life, but the cuckoo and curlew may be lost

THE scratchy mechanical song of the Dartford Warbler is one of the rarest sounds in the English countryside.

But according to a new report it could become more frequent as glo- bal warming turns Britain into an ideal habitat for the endangered songbird.

A new report by Natural England found that many species will benefit from climate change, including the warbler, the emperor dragonfly, wasps, bees and ants. However, Britain could lose many of its most-loved birds as the climate warms, with the cuckoo and curlew at great risk from predicted 2C temperature rises by 2080.

Dr Tim Hill, chief scientist for Natural England, said: “As temperatures rise, the consequences of future cli- mate change for England’s wildlife are likely to be substantial, resulting in wholesale changes in the distribution of our wild animals and plants.”

Natural England joined forces for the RSPB, British Trust for Ornithology, York University and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology to produce the most comprehensive assessment ever undertaken of how climate change will impact British species.

They found that more than one quarter of the 3,000 plants and animals studied were at high to medium risk of losing their habitats, with only half of those affected able to move into new areas.

Of the 155 species at risk of dying out in Britain, 39 per cent would benefit from climate change, but 38 per cent would face increased pressures.

Wildlife expected to suffer include seabirds such as the kittiwake, and some lowland species such as lapwing, rare spring sedge, orange ladybird and the triangle hammock spider. In contrast, birds expected to benefit include the avocet, sanderling, and the little egret. Large wainscot and white line dart moths will also thrive in a warming climate, the researchers predict.

The researchers said more effort should be placed in protecting wildlife which was at greater risk from climate change, by expanding habitat areas and searching for suitable areas for animals to colonise.

Dr Richard Bradbury, Head of Environmental Research at the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science said: “It is imperative that we minimise the risks, by reducing carbon emissions, while redoubling our efforts to reduce the threats to vulnerable species and provide safe homes for nature, both in nature reserves and other protected areas, and in the wider landscapes in which wildlife should thrive.”

Dr Tom Oliver, ecological modeller at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, said: “The next steps will be to further reduce uncertainty by working to improve our modelling methods; for example, to better understand the impacts of an expected increase in the frequency of extreme weather events.”