The Case of the Vanishing Birds
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 06.15.07
The days when we could look forward to being awoken by the pleasant chirping of birds in the morning (well, for those of us not living in the city) may soon be coming to an end. A report released by the National Audubon Society makes the case that populations of many of our fair feathered friends have been in drastic decline over the past four decades.
The average population of these common birds has fallen 68% since 1967; the 20 birds listed on the national "Common Birds in Decline" database (including such perennial favorites as the Common Tern and Field Sparrow) have lost at least half of their populations during that period. Some species, including the once familiar Northern Bobwhite (seen above), have witnessed collapses in their numbers as high as 80%. These numbers were obtained from the Audubon Society's long-running citizen-led Christmas Bird Count and its Breeding Bird Survey.
“The song of Eastern meadowlarks used to be the soundtrack of summer,” said Scott Weidensaul, a naturalist and author born in eastern Pennsylvania. “Now it’s a rare thing. The landscape is changing. Farming is much more industrialized. Development is sprawling across these valleys.”
Much of the blame can be attributed to the usual suspects: reckless human development, pressure from logging, industrialized agriculture and mining. In recent decades, these anthropogenic effects have been greatly amplified by the influence of global warming, which will continue to loom large as a critical threat to the future survival of many of these species even as we begin taking constructive steps towards remedying the situation.
"These are not rare or exotic birds we're talking about—these are the birds that visit our feeders and congregate at nearby lakes and seashores and yet they are disappearing day by day," said Carol Browner, the Audubon chair and former EPA administrator. "Their decline tells us we have serious work to do, from protecting local habitats to addressing the huge threats from global warming."
For tips on how you can help to take on this serious issue, head over to this page.
Via ::Once-Common Birds In Dramatic Decline, ::Meadow Birds in Precipitous Decline, Audubon Says
See also: ::Cats More Lethal to Birds Than Wind Turbines, ::America Celebrates Endangered Species Day, ::Coal State Rep Worried About Bats and Birds, ::Common Eco-Myth: Wind Turbines Kill Birds
Here in the UK, where bird watching (or twitching, as it is known) is a national pasttime, this trend was noticed years ago and reported on BBC. In addition to that, it is regularly mentioned on TV ... on programs such as Springwatch.
What a lovely picture of the noble Bobwhite. Thank you! The dignified grouse, quail, and pheasant are underappreciated by birdwatchers in my opinion.
The old ways of habitat preservation have kind have hit the wall due to the spiralling costs of land. In the old days, rich people would buy huge tracts of land and limit access, but that's simply not possible anymore, nor does the approach seem to have been adequate.There must be more efforts to bring these undertakings more into the mainstream. If deer and bear can thrive (and frankly, over-thrive) in suburban settings, what can be done to assist birds to do the same thing? It cannot be that hard.
-More aggressive mapping and use of marginal, non-economically useful land for more carefully supervised habitat. Find lots too small or too inaccessible for other uses and make certain habitat is optimally adjusted for local species. Limit activities harmful to birds by local ordinance, but encourage hiking and picniking.
-Get obliging landowners to sign covenants (perhaps with wee tax credits or even just thank-you certificates) to limit exotic plantings and pesticide spraying. Considering how bad spraying is for kids, this should be more of a no-brainer than it is.
-Limitations on outdoor kitties.
I currently have a preservation project.Like this on my property.My cabin sits on 120 acres in mi.60 acres is leased to a local farmer.The other 60 are untouched with the exception of the cabin.Built into the grounds are hiding places for them.With strict limits on hunting.The best part is the hunters pay for the preservation of the birds.This also applies to deer and other wild life.Some of you may not see this as ethical.But when you pay to play.While providing habitat and limited hunting.I also have my land set so no future development can happen.EVER.Hidden on my property are swamps and lakes.I see geese and other wild life all the time.Also beats living in any city.
OFF THE BEATEN PATH.
I am writing from Modesto Ca. over 90% of all the birds have disappeared from our area. all of the magpies are gone with 99%of the crows and mocking birds. The rest of the species are vanishing rapidly. my guess is at least 70% of the sparrows in the last 3 weeks. the only bird that seems uneffected is the humming bird which seems to have a larger population than ever. I am desperate for any kind of help and answers. I am have no ideal who to turn to, letters are turning up in the opinion page of the modesto bee but we have had no information from anyone. thanks susie