Global warming and climate change poses a significant threat to two-thirds of North American bird species, according to the National Audubon Society.

These impacts are causing many birds to leave their homes and relocate to places more favorable for their species, including in southeast Michigan.

That’s concerning because it’s not just beauty and sweet songs that birds provide to the world, they also play a vital role in our ecosystem — keeping insect populations low, helping to pollinate plants, disperse seeds and more. Without birds, both people and the environment would experience devastating impacts.

Ava Landgraf is the conservation and research coordinator for the Detroit Bird Alliance, a nonprofit working to protect birds and their habitats in southeast Michigan. Landgraf joined The Metro to discuss local species and the important role they play in our environment.

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