uk' s annual Breeding Birds Survey, released recently, says global warming could be good news for some of the country's best-loved birds. There has been a marked rise in their numbers between 1994 and 1998 -- particularly in colder places like Scotland.
In Britain, 33 species increased and 20 declined, while in Scotland 14 increased and just five declined, the survey said. It was produced jointly by the British Trust for Ornithology, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Although scientists are not sure what caused the overall increase, one factor could be climate change -- increasing the range of some species or simply allowing them to stay in Britain for the winter.
"It is something that will need to be looked at, but climate change could be part of the reason," said Richard Bashford, the study's coordinator. He said data suggests that species like blackcaps, willow warblers and chiffchaff are nesting earlier in the year. But, he said climate change could spell trouble for species like the dottrel and ptarmigan that nest on cold mountaintops.
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