Beam me to Planet Gore !
Posted on 11/08/2011 7:48:33 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
Birds in central California are significantly larger than they were 25 to 40 years ago, and researchers believe it may be because they are bulking up in body weight to ride out severe storms related to global climate change.
Over the last 25 years, a robin, for example, has increased about an eighth of an inch in wing length and about 0.2 ounces in mass, according to a paper published online in Global Change Biology.
The findings fly in the face of assumptions based on an ecological benchmark known as Bergmann’s rule: Birds and mammals tend to be larger at higher latitudes, perhaps to conserve body heat. Under this reasoning, birds and mammals would get smaller as they adapted to rising global temperatures.
But they also suggest that explanations for the bigger birds are more complex, according to researcher Jill Demers, executive director of the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory.
“The degree of physical change over a relatively short scale of time is remarkable and surprising,” Demers said. “Similar studies in Pennsylvania and Europe, for example, show that birds there have decreased in size over the past several decades.”
Overall, birds in central California have grown an average of 2% to 5% in body weight and wingspan, said Rae Goodman, who discovered the trend while working as a graduate student at San Francisco State University, analyzing data from thousands of birds caught and released each year near San Francisco Bay and the Point Reyes National Seashore.
More study is needed to determine whether these changes are good for central California birds and how they affect food chains, Goodman said.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...
“Run for the hills!” Ping.
Gosh, that explains all the ostriches and hippos in Antarctica!
Why do the media and snake oil scientists persist with the simplistic view that additional heat equals more storms? One of the central beliefs of GW is that the poles are warming faster than the equator. This means a lower DIFFERENTIAL in temperatures...and less severe weather. These alleged experts are instead equating the atmosphere to a boiling pot of water. Nobody who has taken an introductory weather class should buy into this garbage.
Evolving BACK into dinosaurs.
The uncanny responsiveness, not to mention foreknowledge of the decision-making process that guides evolution is highly noteworthy.
When the winter is going to be bad, we get more fruits on our trees and bushes. The animals fatten up for the winter that way. Nature takes care of them.
If the birds are getting bigger, they need the increase in size for something. It's not just body weight, it's also length. Why would birds need to get longer?
So many questions!
“I’ve never trusted Klingons, and I never will.” - James Kirk
That or they are being fed more birdseed in backyard feeders and have better pickings with respect to all kinds of food scarps available.
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“shazaaaam!” said Jim Nabors
“Are birds getting bigger because of global climate change?”
Is Michele Obama’s a$$ getting bigger because of global climate change?
Really? And where did the birds learn about this, from a psychic?
Generally when you see a change like that in a relatively short period of time is would indicate some sort of selection pressure, e.g. longer, heavier birds are able to more efficiently access resources which increases their reproductive success, and the longer, heavier trait is passed along to their offspring.
Maybe they’re going to turn into dinosaurs again. :)
With restrictions on the older and more effective insecticides, insects who once were under control are now literally out of control.
Birds eat insects, fortunately, and with a greater food supply, they will grow in size. Also, because of 24 hour cable TV, they get less exercise, like many Americans.
Pretty soon we will be shooting these birds for food. A great food chain and cycle.
Bon appetit! I suggest Honey Molasses BBQ sauce.
Even the AGW true believers agree that there has been no statistically significant global warming since 1995.
“Similar studies in Pennsylvania and Europe, for example, show that birds there have decreased in size over the past several decades.”
So birds get larger because of global climate change, and they get smaller because of global climate change.
Same old Los Angeles Times.
Wow! Every single change listed was within the margin of error!
What were the odds against that?
My daughter’s pug dog is getting larger, too. I wonder if Global Warming is the cause?
Will they make up their cotton picking minds?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2784490/posts
Saw a common house sparrow at the feeder the other day with white feathers on his head.
Strange.
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