The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge in Tinicum is a haven for birdwatchers who stop by early on spring mornings to spot the migrating birds flying in from South America and Central America, writes Susan Phillips for StateImpact Pennsylvania.

However, this could soon change due to the altering climate that is threatening hundreds of species across North America.

The Refuge was once a part of more than 6,000 acres of freshwater wetlands known as the Tinicum Marsh. Now, it only covers around 1,000 acres of marsh, woodlands, and meadows on the migratory Atlantic Flyway.

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According to Bill Kunze, executive director of the Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania, it’s not just the temperature that causes birds to migrate, but food. Birds come north in the spring looking to breed and feed on the explosion of insects and plant life during the summers. But a disconnect has been created by global warming.

“So there’s a beautiful synchronicity between the timing of when they migrate, the areas they go to, and the food that will be available there,” said Kunze. “Climate change can change that connection.”

Read more about the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at StateImpact Pennsylvania by clicking here.

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