Bushtit populations are among the many birds affected by annual wildfires.

Some people have been affected by California’s extreme wildfires, and many birds will be impacted. Wildfires have consumed more than 820,000 acres in California during 2018, nearly twice the acreage that burned at this time in 2017. And, technically, its not even fire season yet. Audubon biologists predict that there could be impacts on both resident and migratory birds.

It’s important for birders to realize that wild fire is a natural and important part of ecosystems in California and across the country. Birds and their habitats are adapted to these fires. Black-backed Woodpeckers, for example, rely on fire-burned areas for survival. But climate change, prolonged drought, and lack of natural fire and forest management are creating conditions that are fueling big, destructive fires that are affecting people and wildlife.

See more at http://ca.audubon.org/news/fire-and-birds-0