Climate change is making headlines across the world. For many people, the issues and consequences seem remote and personally unimportant — or so unstoppable and catastrophic, it is beyond worrying about. Whichever your view, climate change is happening, and it is already affecting the natural environment — parrots included.
Here’s a look at three continents and some of the issues various parrot species face in relation to climate change.
One African parrot species already affected by climate change is the black-cheeked lovebird (Agapornis nigrigenis) in Zambia. The black-cheeked lovebird is the rarest lovebird species, with a total population of between 8,000 to 10,000 individuals found in a highly localized range of just 2,500 square kilometers.
Zambia has two main seasons: wet from November to April; dry the rest of the year. This makes surface water a scarce and precious resource from June onward. Like most parrots, lovebirds’ survival is highly dependent on sources of free-standing water. During the dry season black-cheeked lovebirds gather at isolated water points. They are cautious drinkers and do not drink if the water resource is actively disturbed by humans or livestock.
**For the full article, pick up the January issue of BIRD TALK**
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