The Heat is On: The Global Threat to Owls from Climate Change

Abstract

Heimo Mikkola and Alan Sieradzki

As the global threat from climate change continues to increase almost unchecked, the negative impacts of climate change on biodiversity are also increasing, and this could result in the loss of numerous species, habitat fragmentation, and phenological change. Here, we look at the global impact climate change poses to one particular group of birds: Owls (Strigiformes). As apex predators inhabiting every continent and in almost every country of the world, with the exception of Antarctica and some small isolated islands, they are an ideal group to study in relation to negative impacts caused by extreme climatic events globally. Examining multiple published studies from around the world, we determine which species are most susceptible to be negatively impacted by one or multiple events caused by climate change: wildfires, unprecedented levels of precipitation and flooding, rising temperatures, drought, melting of ice and snow, storm events, and rising sea levels. In the case of well-studied Tengmalm’s Owl (Boreal Owl) Aegolius funereus the principal reason for low productivity may not be the climate change but loss and degradation of mature and old-growth forests due to modern forest management. The Tawny Owl Strix aluco also offers one of the first evidences that recent climate change can alter natural selection in a wild population leading to a micro-evolutionary response, which demonstrates the ability of wild populations to evolve in response to climate change.

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