Ireland's 10,000 long-eared owls, its dwindling red grouse population and the curlew are likely to be wiped out by climate change, a new study has predicted.
The Climatic Atlas of European Birds, published at the weekend, carried the findings of a study based on projections based on the effects of a likely increase in average global temperature of three degrees above pre-industrial levels.
Oran O'Sullivan, chief executive of BirdWatch Ireland, said the study indicated that Ireland may stand to lose iconic species forever.
"The problem for these birds is that they will not be adaptable to the pace of change and it looks like they will become extinct here," he said.
Mr O'Sullivan said the movement of Mediterranean birds up to this country already indicated climate change.