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Climate change is causing more southern coast birds to spend winters in southern Illinois.

Vicki Lang-Mendenhall, left, and Rhonda Rothrock conducting a public bird survey at Crab Orchard Lake on Saturday September 25, 2021.
Kevin Boucher
Vicki Lang-Mendenhall, left, and Rhonda Rothrock conducting a public bird survey at Crab Orchard Lake on Saturday September 25, 2021.

As humans continue to adapt to climate change, two local birders say birds are changing as well. Rhonda Rothrock with the Southern Illinois Audubon Society, points to two examples of birds that traditionally live farther south. She says the Mississippi Kite and the Fish Crow are now staying all year 'round and nesting here.

"The Mississippi Kite and the Fish Crow were birds that were, birds they were incredibly rare to come across. Now they're all nesting here., regularly, they're actually being seen much farther north."

Fellow birder Vicki Lang-Mendenhal says Black Vultures are another example. They are now common here.

"They used to be considered a southern bird, so if you wanted to see a Black Vulture you'd have to go further south, even closer to the coast. We're seeing Black Vultures, very common now and sometimes more common than the Turkey Vultures."

And as southern Illinois winters are warming, Rothrock adds she is seeing more gulf coast birds in this area.

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