As many as 110 of California’s 310 native bird species will see their ranges shrink as the planet warms over coming decades, according to a new study by Audubon California.

The study, along with a companion national Audubon study showing major geographic shifts in bird populations over the past 40 years, paints an alarming picture — especially for bird enthusiasts.

The studies show the warming is pushing birds north or, equivalently, higher in elevation. That will translate into serious loss of range for some species, such as the yellow-billed magpie, a species found only in California. The magpie could lose as much as 75 percent of its present range under the worst-case climate scenario — enough to push the bird toward extinction, scientists say.

Some Orange County birds would be affected, the California study says, including the coastal cactus wren (above) and the California gnatcatcher.

See OC Register story with images and map.

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