181
Every 28 days, water levels rise so high that their nests are often flooded. This is critical because saltmarsh sparrows need to buy their young in a tough ecosystem that is losing up to three millimeters of land per year to rising seas. Despite the protection, scientists are concerned that the birds could be on the brink of extinction by 2035 or 2050. However, wetland restoration efforts are helping: researchers are installing structures that protect nests from flooding, giving hope for the species’ survival.
Advertising
“The sparrow is a kind of indicator of the health of the wetland,” Robinson says. “If there’s something wrong with it, it’s an indication of problems in the ecosystem.”
