Officials make disturbing discovery about future habitat conditions of rare bird species: 'Solely due to the projected effects of climate change'

A beloved Pacific Northwestern bird, the Mount Rainier white-tailed ptarmigan, makes its home in the high Cascade Mountains. After monitoring changes in the bird's environment, the Fish and Wildlife Service has projected that up to 95% of its habitat may be lost in the coming decades, posing a serious risk of extinction.

What's happening?

White-tailed ptarmigans survive atop the peaks of Washington and British Columbia in an alpine habitat higher than where trees can grow. 

But with rising temperatures, the bird's winters are shortening while rainfall is increasing. As a result, the treeline is steadily moving higher, making their already small habitat and food supply even more restricted. 

State officials estimate that there may be as few as 1,000 ptarmigan left in Washington, a scarcity that birders in the region also acknowledge, reported Smithsonian Magazine. 

"This is solely due to the projected effects of climate change, especially increasing temperatures and a loss of the conditions that support suitable alpine habitat," said the Fish and Wildlife Service, according to the Smithsonian report.

These ptarmigan typically molt into white camouflage in the winter snow, and they eat the flowering plants and shrubs that grow on high peaks. However, their bodies dangerously overheat in hotter temperatures. Plus, with more rain hitting the snowpack, an ice layer can prevent the birds from going to roost, according to Smithsonian Magazine. 

Why is white-tailed ptarmigan habitat loss important?

The precarious status of the Mount Rainier white-tailed ptarmigan is an indicator of declining biodiversity, which has been shown to impact human health. It's also a warning sign for other animals that call high elevations home.

Wolverines and American pikas are already at risk, while four other subspecies of white-tailed ptarmigan found in different mountain ranges could lose habitat, too. Scientists estimate that half of the world's bird populations are in decline.

For high-elevation species, moving isn't a likely solution, as even the tallest peaks in the world are facing similar threats. Plus, white-tailed ptarmigan mostly roam their mountaintops on foot rather than flying, reported Smithsonian Magazine. 

In the summers, they spend their time in cool, wet fields, which are also drying up as snowpack and meltwater levels decline, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

Spreading awareness of these impacts of habitat loss serves as a call to action for conservation "before population declines become irreversible," wrote the Fish and Wildlife Service. It is possible, and there are plenty of success stories out there. 

What's being done to protect white-tailed ptarmigan?

In hopes of saving the Mount Rainier subspecies from extinction, the Fish and Wildlife Service has listed it as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. 

It's the first of the white-tailed ptarmigan to gain this level of federal protection. The designation will enable new conservation and recovery efforts and boost awareness of the bird's plight, which can help support research efforts.

Want to do more? Check out a list of endangered species for each state to learn what might be at risk in your area and see how you can help conservation efforts near you. 

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