There are few large-scale macroecological studies to date that use multi-species data to evaluate the influence of climate change on range shifts in wildlife. In part, this deficiency relates to the lack of suitable data. Recent completion of consecutive Breeding Bird Atlases in 12 states offers a valuable opportunity to explore the influence of climate change on avian communities. My objectives were to test for poleward range shifts among diverse avian species across broad temporal and geographic scales, and if I found systematic shifts, to further evaluate species among foraging guilds and migratory strategies for differential shifts. I analyzed Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas data, which provided 2 statewide surveys at a 20-year interval, (1983 to 1988 and 2001 to 2008), and represented over 1,000,000 occurrence records for more than 200 species of breeding birds. Analyses showed systematic shifts in the distribution of bird species with wide-ranging life histories, suggesting that a fundamental ecological change is occurring. In species with measurable range shifts, I further observed greater shifts in the northern boundary of southerly species. This work is among the first empirical studies in the Midwestern United States to quantify systematic range shifts for a diverse taxon at sufficient temporal and spatial scales for compelling inference.
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