Humans: Birds' Most Unnatural Enemy

Understanding the Critical Need for Bird Conservation

Every four years, a report called State of the World's Birdsis released by Birdlife International. Birdlife International is a global partnership of bird conservation organizations in more than 100 countries. The most recent report was released in September 2008. It points to the need for greater bird conservation as our bird populations decline drastically worldwide.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), by the year 2000, 24 species of birds were already extinct in Hawaii. Ninety bird species were on the United States Endangered Species List or were considered threatened. Other populations were candidates for that list. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service had identified 122 additional species and the National Audubon Society and Partners in Flight had a list of more than 100 species that are likely to become extinct.

The decline of our bird populations is held by Birdlife International to be a critical indicator of the general health of the environments in which they have lived.

National Audubon Society says that "one quarter of our U.S. birds need our help to keep them from slipping toward extinction."

Human Destruction of Habitat Is the Biggest Threat to Our Bird Populations

The greatest threat to birds has been human destruction of bird habitats. According to the EPA, an ecologist from Stanford University, Paul Ehrlich, has estimated that 40% of the earth's land surface is being used by humans and we have left only 60% for all other species to share.

The EPA also reports that humans have been responsible for the destruction of half of the wetlands that were home to millions of waterfowl and other birds since settlers first came to the U.S. from Europe.

We have destroyed 90% of the original forests on the Pacific coast. Ninety-nine percent of original prairie grass habitats are gone.

An unabridged account of man's activities that have caused habitat destruction are too numerous for practical mention here, but habitat destruction has caused entire bird populations to be lost.

Other Activities of Man Also Make Greater Bird Conservation Critical

The following are lesser, but significant and lethal, human threats to bird populations. These are not listed in any particular order. Again, the list would be impractically long if it were complete but here is a start:

1. Poisoning by pesticides and other chemicals

2. Collisions with buildings and skyscrapers

3. Collisions with cell phone towers

4. Collisions with wind turbines

5. Collisions with water windmills

6. Electrocution by power lines

7. Predation and competition by invasive non-native species of birds and animals introduced by humans

8. Being killed by domestic cats

9. Imbalances in native bird populations (e.g., cowbirds) and native animal populations due to habitat changes

10. Global climate change (affecting nesting and food sources as well as habitat destruction)

11. Being put at many types of risk due to pollution

12. Collision with automobiles

13. Collision with airplanes

14. Exposure to disease from careless backyard feeding and watering

15. Capturing of wild birds for commercial enterprise

16. Feeding of wild ducks in parks

17. Erroneously and unnecessarily separating wild bird fledglings from their parents by well-meaning humans

18. Being killed by domestic dogs

19. Being captured and/or killed for scientific study

20. Being destroyed because they eat crops

21. Being crowded into remaining natural habitats (causing greater competition for food and more spread of disease

22. Becoming entangled in fishing line

23. Becoming entangled in kite string

24. Being injured from human trash

25. Being covered with oil due to oil spills

I'll stop there. I'm sure you can think of many other threats to our bird populations that humans pose.

Here Are a Few Things You Can Do to Help with Bird Conservation

1. Be aware of the need for greater bird conservation efforts.

2. Educate yourself and your children about bird conservation. Learn what is being done in bird conservation and what can be done in the future.

3. Find a citizen science project to take part in. You can find a list at Citizen Science , Cornell Lab of Ornithology. These projects help with bird conservation efforts by monitoring birds, they are fun, and some can be done in your own backyard.

4. Support local bird conservation agencies and their projects.

5. Make a direct impact on bird conservation by making your property bird-friendly with native plants for shelter and nesting.

6. Keep your cat indoors, especially during the springtime. This goes for certain dogs too, especially younger dogs.

7. Don't use pesticides.

8. Don't intervene when you see a fledgling unless you know when intervention is needed and exactly what to do.

9. Make kind and responsible choices with bird conservation in mind.

SOURCES:

No author given. "State of the World's Birds." 2010 Biodiversity.

Lynne Trulio, PhD, "Basics of Bird Conservation in the U.S." United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Ingrid Newkirk, Making Kind Choices. (St. Martin's Press, 2005), p182.

No author given. "Citizen Science." Cornell Lab of Ornithology.