Conservation

Issues

Bird conservation begins with simple, common sense decisions by all of us. Choosing to recycle instead of just throwing things away, choosing to use environmentally friendly products whenever we can, even keeping our feeders clean and our cats indoors - there are lots of choices we can all make to support the conservation of birds. This pace deals with some of the "close to home" conservation issues. For information on national and international issues, follow the links provided. 

Threats to Birds

Habitat Loss

Loss of habitat is probably the single biggest threat faced by birds. As humans modify land and water forms to suit their own needs, the rich variety of habitats that exists in the natural world is altered. Often, natural habitats cannot be restored. Many birds have adapted to particular habitat types. They rely on a specific mix of plants and other animals existing together. It is also important that these habitat types exist over an acceptably large area - there is no point having "good" habitat if there isn't enough of it to support a breeding population of the birds that rely on it.

Habitat fragmentation is also a problem for many species. When habitats are carved up by blocks of farmland, swaths of cutovers, subdivisions, and other incursions, they become less and less capable of supporting the species that rely on them.

Habitats for migratory birds are double causes for concern. We might feel that the nesting habitats available for our migrant species are adequately protected, but what happens when they go south for the winter? If their wintering grounds have been disrupted, these species will be at peril. Birdwatchers in the Southern Hemisphere are similarly concerned about the fate of birds traveling north!

All over the world, efforts are ongoing to preserve and restore habitat, because it is well recognized that without habitat protection, all other efforts to protect birds are seriously jeopardized.

Links to sites that address Habitat issues include:

 Canadian Nature Federation www.cnf.ca

Environment Canada www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca

BirdLife International www.birdlife.net

Bird Studies Canada www.bsc-eoc.org

Everyday Perils

Sometimes it's easy to assume that bird conservation and protection is something that "other people do." That's only partly true. Each time you throw away a plastic six-pack holder, or dispose of hazardous substances like insecticides, pharmaceuticals, cleaners, paints, and solvents, or turn the other way and pretend you didn't see it when someone illegally kills or harms a bird, you add to the problems faced by birds in your community.

Always remember that dangerous items and substances continue to be hazardous until they are neutralized, and you don't neutralize them just by throwing them away. Hazardous materials should always be disposed of in accordance with the manufacturer's printed instructions. Many municipalities have "Hazardous Waste Days" when collection centers are set up to properly dispose of such materials. If your community has these days, then use them. If not, then call your town council and suggest it.

Some hazardous materials are not so obvious. six-pack holders, for example, should be cut up before disposal so that they can't find their way around the neck of a bird. Whenever possible, materials should be recycled - not thrown away.

Every year, thousands and thousands of liters of fuel oil and lubricants are discharged into our environment accidentally or intentionally. Petroleum products are lethal to birds. They destroy the insulating qualities of their feathers and make them vulnerable to the icy cold ocean, and they poison the birds when they are ingested. We should all support tougher measures to deal with spillage and disposal of oil and oil products at sea. Photo © Pierre Ryan

If you are in the fishing business, you will know about the miles and miles of netting that are abandoned, lost, or disposed of at sea ever year. These nets are lethal to fish, marine mammals, and birds. Under no circumstances should netting be disposed of at sea, and when it is disposed of on land it should first be stuffed into strong bags so that it won't create life-threatening "snares" for birds and mammals. If you are walking on a beach and you encounter such netting, consider carrying it away or at least burying it.

Do you have a house cat? If so, you should know that house cats kill huge numbers of songbirds every year. You can't blame the cats - that's what cats do. They're built for it and they're programmed for it. You CAN make your feeders as cat-proof as possible, however, and keep your cat indoors unless you are outside with it. You might have to decide between having a feeder and having a cat - sometimes the two just do not mix.

For some reason people have different rules for cats - it's assumed they should be able to wander freely. I would suggest that this attitude entirely discounts the rights and interests of others who might not want cats on their property. If you are a cat owner, be responsible for your animal.