Science Cafe

Science Cafe: Survival by Degrees: 389 Bird Species on the Brink

National Audubon Society scientists crunched the latest data on climate change and the state of birds, and the results paint a picture that is both troubling and hopeful. The report — released in October, 2019 — shows that two-thirds of North American bird species are at risk of extinction because of rapid changes to our climate. The good news is that Audubon’s science also shows that if we take action now we can help improve the chances for the vast majority of species at risk. Join us to learn what Audubon’s latest research tells us about the future of North Carolina’s most beloved birds, from songbirds to shorebirds, and how our fate is linked to birds when it comes to climate change.

About the Speaker

Curtis Smalling is Director of Conservation at Audubon North Carolina. Raised outside of Boone, Curtis is a lifelong birder and oversees all of Audubon’s conservation programs in North Carolina. His work touches on all sides of bird conservation, from habitat restoration and management to migratory bird research. He has been a primary researcher for species like the golden-winged warbler and yellow-bellied sapsucker, and is especially interested in how landscape-level conditions affect bird populations.