Sounds of Spring Include Songs of Returning Birds

First posted on 05-21-2010

As the temperatures continue to rise and we spend more time outdoors, we hear the many, familiar sounds of spring, including the songs of our returning migrant birds. Arkansas is known as The Natural State and one reason is Arkansans are very interested in helping wildlife, especially in and around where they live.

At this time of year, the American Bird Conservancy often gets asked how people can help birds. Toward that end, ABC has identified the top ten things people can do to aid or protect declining birds in their homes and yards.

Keep your cat indoors—this is best for your cat as well as the birds, as indoor cats live an average of three to seven times longer. Even well fed cats kill birds, and bells on cats don’t effectively warn birds of cat strikes. For more information, go to http://www.abcbirds.org/cats.

Prevent birds hitting your windows by using a variety of treatments to the glass on your home—see ABC’s new flyer at http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/collisions_flyer.pdf.

Eliminate pesticides from your yard—even those pesticides that are not directly toxic to birds can pollute waterways and reduce insects that birds rely on for food.

Create backyard habitat—if you have a larger yard, create a diverse landscape by planting native grasses, flowers, and shrubs that attract native birds. You will be rewarded by their beauty and song, and will have fewer insect pests as a result.

Donate old birdwatching equipment such as binoculars or spotting scopes to local birdwatching groups—they can get them to schools or biologists in other countries who may not have the resources they need.

Reduce your carbon footprint—use a hand-pushed or electric lawnmower, carpool, use low energy bulbs and Energy Star appliances. Contact your energy supplier and ask them about purchasing your energy from renewable sources.

Buy organic food and drink shade-grown coffee—increasing the market for produce grown without the use of pesticides, which can be toxic to birds and other animals, will reduce the use of these hazardous chemicals in the U.S. and overseas. Shade coffee plantations maintain large trees that provide essential habitat for wintering songbirds which nest in North America.

Keep feeders and bird baths clean to avoid disease and prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
Support bird friendly legislation.

Join a bird conservation group—learn more about birds and support important conservation work.

According to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Bird Conservation Program Coordinator Karen Rowe, the AGFC gets many calls from the public who ask for suggestions on how they can be better stewards of their backyard birds. “The information from the American Bird Conservancy gives us very important and yet easy ways to be benefit the birds around our homes,” Rowe says. “Gauging from the calls received by my office, Arkansans will find the tips on preventing bird strikes, keeping cats indoors (even more important now that there are young songbirds leaving the nest) and the need to provide backyard wildlife habitat useful reminders and suggestions,” she explained.

According to the ABC, scientists estimate that 300 million to one billion birds die each year from collisions with buildings. Up to 50 million die from encounters with communication towers. At least 11 million die from car strikes. Another one million may die each day from attacks by cats left outdoors. Some of these deaths occur year-round, but many occur during the peak spring and fall migrations. Some studies suggest that perhaps as many as half of all migrating birds do not make it back to spring and summer grounds, succumbing to various threats on either end of the journey.

A recent federal government study reports that over 20 percent of the U.S. population – 48 million people – participates in birdwatching. Of that total, about 42 percent (20 million people) actually travel to see birds. Birders spend about $36 billion annually in pursuit of their pastime.

ABC’s reminder of the impacts of backyard insecticides is very timely, Rowe says. “Almost all backyard birds feed on insects during the nesting season, including hummingbirds. Yard insecticides including those to control fleas and ticks can not only reduce the food supply for birds, but can also kill or weaken birds which feed on the treated insects,” she said.

Share | |