The Case of the Missing Birds

Brian Nummy

The Case of the Missing Birds

Birds are one of the most diverse species on the planet. They can live almost everywhere. So then why is their population decreasing by the billions? The cause of most of our environmental crisis happening right now are from human activity. North America alone has lost about 2.9 billion birds since 1970. That is a decline of 29%. Several scientists have said this is a direct reflection of what we are doing to our environment. 

So what exactly does the decrease in the birds population tell us? Birds are considered an indicator species, they reflect the health of the ecosystem. Birds are normally on the top of their food chain as well. So when we see their population drop this intensely, it shows that something is wrong. Deforestation is removing places for birds to live. Insect and amphibian populations are also seeing similar drops for the same reasons. 

There are some efforts however to help protect some bird populations, such as local laws and hunting restrictions, although this alone will not be enough to correct our own mistakes. There is plenty of research that states what we are doing to our environment is wrong, but very few solutions that are being put into place. (Click Here to read some of the research).

Some things to think about are: What are some things we as a community can do in our neighborhoods to protect local birds? What needs to be done to help nurture these populations back all over the world? What other effects could the bird decrease have on our ecosystem? Are birds the only species that we are harming with climate change?