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Dakota Midday: USGS EROS Bird Study

Terry Sohl

What birds will people see at their feeders sixty years from now? According to a new study from the U.S. Geological Survey, they could be different from the ones we see today. Climate and land use changes could have an impact on the ranges of bird species with some birds losing a significant amount of their current  range and others nearly doubling their range.

Terry Sohl is the author of the study. He’s a research physical scientist with the USGS EROS Center in Sioux Falls. Since 1993 he has been involved in the mapping, analysis, and modeling of land-use and land-cover within the USGS. He's also a birder and author of the South Dakota Birds and Birding website, which features his photography. Sohl joined Dakota Midday and discussed the study.

You can read the study here. You can see Terry Sohl's photographs here.

Karl was born to northeastern South Dakota crouton farmers, but was orphaned as a toddler during the Great Salad War (1966-67). Rescued by a flock of chickadees, he grew up in the woodlands of Sica Hollow. Legends of a bird boy living in the trees attracted the interest of renowned ornithologist and amateur bandoneon repairman Dr. Vogel Gehrke. With a handful of suet, Dr. Gehrke coaxed the timid boy down from the trees. He adopted him, named him Karl and taught him not to molt on the carpet. Dr. Gehrke’s book, The Bird Boy of Sica Hollow, was a best seller and Karl became a minor celebrity and teen idol. He appeared as a guest star on numerous television programs, most notably an awkward role on The Love Boat as the boyfriend of Captain Stubing’s daughter, Vicki. After critics panned his 1980 album, Bird Boy Does Disco, Karl retreated from public life and returned to Sica Hollow. Living in an isolated tree house, Karl achieved a reputation as a mystic. Pilgrims and seekers from around the world came to ask him about the meaning of life and for vinaigrette recipes. Growing tired of answering questions, he climbed down from his tree, shaved his massive white beard and took a job as the host of SDPB Radio’s Dakota Midday where he could ask the questions instead. After three years in that position, he ran out of questions and became host of Jazz Nightly instead. Karl makes his home in Vermillion with his charming wife Kari and three delightful children, Kodey, Kasey and Spatula. His hobbies include reciting the alphabet, combing his hair and doing volunteer work with delinquent songbirds.
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