The effects of the climate crisis occurring in the Ozarks are having an alarming impact on bird and butterfly species.
What is happening?
KSMU Ozarks Public Radio spoke with Scientific experts explained that changing weather, human activity, and rising temperatures make life difficult for birds and butterflies.
Ornithologist Jim Giocomo of the American Bird Conservancy told KSMU that migratory birds “may show up, and there’s no food for them to produce young and support the production of young and so their numbers will decline.”
“Our resident birds are going to be hit with a double whammy if we change things here because, you know, they can’t reproduce, but they also don’t have a lot of places to survive,” he continued.
Because of these problems, Giocomo stated that “about half of the species are declining.”
Butterflies have a problem too. Study 2025 The researchers found that two-thirds of the butterfly species they studied over the past 20 years experienced population declines of more than 10%.
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Habitat loss, rising temperatures, environmental degradation, extreme weather, pesticides, light pollution and various human activities are contributing factors. Heavy rains and floods, in particular, have harmed butterfly populations, preventing them from reproducing.
Why are birds and butterflies important?
According to Psychology Today magazineHearing birds sing can improve mental health and reduce stress and anxiety. Many birds also consume insects that are agricultural pests or simply a nuisance to humans.
Pollinators such as butterflies are also vital to humans. About 7% of flowering plants and 35% of food crops depend on it for reproduction, she says US Department of Agriculture.
These creatures are essential parts of their food chains and ecosystems. The birds serve as prey for larger predators and help control insect populations. Butterflies support the growth of plants, and provide food and habitat for many other species.
Butterflies and birds are not just for nature lovers, all humans need them The planet needs them.
How can we help birds and butterflies?
Chris Barnhart, a butterfly expert from the Butterfly House at Nathaniel Green Close Memorial Park, told KSMU that people can help support butterflies by Planting local plants and host plants for butterflies in the Ozarks.
This gives the butterflies places to safely lay eggs and raise the next generation. Native plants can also help birds by providing seeds and fruits for food, as well as habitat.
Biology professor Sean Maher of Missouri State University said people should try to turn off their lights during migration season. Migration seasons can last approximately from March to June and from August to November.
“They feel disoriented, for lack of a better term, by the amount of light in the environment,” Maher explained to KSMU. Turning off or dimming the lights can help ensure birds make their journey safely.
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