How Climate Change Will Affect Birds in West Virginia
Vulnerable Birds in West Virginia
Highly and moderately vulnerable birds may lose more than half of their current range—the geographic area where they live—as they are forced to search for suitable habitat and climate conditions elsewhere.
West Virginia
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Below, find out which of the birds that nest or spend the winter in your area are most vulnerable across their entire range. Some birds may lose range outside of your state, making the protection of their current habitat in your area even more important.
How will the American Redstart's range be affected in West Virginia?
Rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns affect birds' ability to find food and reproduce, which over time impacts local populations, and ultimately continent-wide populations, too. Some species may even go extinct in your state if they cannot find the conditions they need to survive and raise their young.
Select a warming scenario to see how this species’ range will change under increased global temperatures.
Reducing warming makes many types of birds found in West Virginia less vulnerable.
In order to hold warming steady, we must act now to reduce the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere and limit warming to 1.5 degrees. We must reduce our carbon emissions and also absorb what is produced through natural solutions like reforestation or with technology that removes carbon from the air.
Click the three different warming scenarios to explore how increased warming puts more species in West Virginia at risk.
West Virginia's Birds and Habitats
In the Appalachian Mountains, the coniferous highlands of Monongahela National Forest support breeding species similar to those in Canada’s boreal region, such as the Golden-winged Warbler and Blue-headed Vireo. The nexus of wetlands, forest, and grasslands in Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge attracts a diversity of birds, including Bobolinks and Ovenbirds. Along the Eastern panhandle and Ohio River, where mountains turn to marshes and mixed habitat, Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area supports water birds.
Climate Policy in West Virginia
RENEWABLE
2.3 % Hydro
FOSSIL FUEL
93.1 % Coal
.2 % Petroleum
Climate Alliance?
(Data: U.S. EIA)
Between 2012 and 2015, approximately 2.4 GW of coal capacity were retired in West Virginia, a 14 percent drop of the state’s capacity. However, in 2015, West Virginia became the first state to repeal its renewable portfolio standard (25% by 2025). Wind-power generation is increasing due to the energy potential along ridges in the eastern third of the state.
Climate Threats Facing Birds and People in West Virginia
West Virginia faces two seemingly contradictory climate-driven threats: flooding from increased rainfall, and drought. Shifting rainfall patterns and increased flooding threaten West Virginia’s infrastructure and riverfront communities, while more severe droughts pose challenges for river navigation and recreation. Rising temperatures can shift ecosystem ranges and disrupt species relationships.
The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk harm people, too. Hover over or tap an area on the map to see specific threats that will affect that area as warming increases.