Birds

Table of Contents

Introduction

Birds are important keystone species in ecosystems all over the world. They help protect crops from insects, they spread seeds, help large mammals control parasites like ticks, and are important in countless food chains.

Unfortunately birds are under great threat as they act as our planet's "canary in the coal mine".

Benefits of Birds

Biological Benefits

Population Control

Birds that eat insects help farmers protect their crops without pesticides, similarly they can help control other populations such as rodents and even plants that might otherwise get out of control.

Seed Dispersal

Birds are vital for helping certain species of plant germinate in the bird's digestive tract, then when the bird drops the seed far from the parent plant, more of that food species can be available for other species to feed on. This helps improve range and biodiversity for the plants.

Scientific Benefits

Indicator Species

Birds can indicate various issues including habitat loss, climate change, prey and plant presence, as well as the toxic substances that their food sources absorb. One insect might not absorb or eat enough pesticide to kill the insect, but a bird who eats many of these insects, can indicate the pollutant or pesticide's presence when they succumb to the poison.

Threat to Birds

Some of the biggest threats to birds include the following, which have been listed from most severe to least (to the best of our ability):

Pesticides & Fertilizers

According to a study that compared dangers to grassland birds, "The researchers focused on the extent to which lethal pesticides, such as organophosphate and carbamate insecticides, are responsible for the decline in grassland bird populations.  The study found that lethal pesticides were nearly four times more likely to be associated with population declines than the next most likely contributor, changes in cropped pasture – an important component of habitat loss associated with agricultural lands.

The publication says that “…..large quantities of products of very high toxicity to birds have been used for decades despite evidence that poisonings were frequent even when products were applied according to label directions.”

The authors argue that only a small proportion of total cropland needs to be treated with a dangerous pesticide to affect overall bird population trends. The production of alfalfa stands out for its strikingly high chemical load, constituting the third highest lethal risk of any crop based on toxic insecticide use. Pesticide drift from croplands is also affecting birds that favor the adjoining grasslands."

Alfalfa is primarily grown as a livestock feed, particularly favored by the beef and dairy industry, but we should also be careful to avoid pesticides in garden. For example common pesticides like slug pellet's can harm the birds that eat slugs and snails, especially when trying to feed their chicks.

"One of the study’s main findings is that the large use of pesticides and fertilisers on farms in particular is the most significant driver of bird population declines across Europe, including the UK. This does not come as a great surprise – many studies have come to this conclusion. But this is the first study to look at the man-made drivers in one go, using some of the best data available and modern statistical methods. The results are clear." - The Conversation

Habitat Loss

This is mostly due to agricultural expansion, particularly livestock and their feed which uses 77% of the world's agricultural land already, though they provide very little of our global protein or calorie supplies. 

"Agricultural expansion threatens 74% of the world’s most threatened bird species. That’s 1,087 of the Red List species in the categories of critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable." according to The Science of Birds

Loss of Lichen

Some "studies have implicated forestry in the decline of non-migratory passerine birds in northern Europe through the destruction and fragmentation of forests, but our study indicates that it may also reduce foraging habitat quality through a reduction in lichen abundance." It might be reasonable to postulate similar effects in North America." - Lichen Use By Wildlife In North America

Logging & Deforestation

Cattle ranching drives 5 times more deforestation than any other human activity. Livestock feeds such as soy and palm are in 2nd and 3rd place, while logging for wood and paper goods is 4th places. You can click the deforestation button to learn about practical ways to help end deforestation.

Invasive Species

Cats are one of the greatest threats to birds and other small animals world wide, after being introduced by humans. Similarly rats and mice often destroy nests of ground-nesting bird species (particularly on islands and places in Oceana where they didn't evolve alone side these introduced pests).

Each year, cats cause around 1 to 4 billion bird deaths in the US alone.  - BirdFact

"A study published in April estimated that UK cats kill 160 to 270 million animals annually, a quarter of them birds. The real figure is likely to be even higher, as the study used the 2011 pet cat population of 9.5 million; it is now closer to 12 million, boosted by the pandemic pet craze. Seen alongside drops in bird numbers across the EU and the UK, it is “quite alarming”, says lead author and cat ecologist Tara Pirie from the University of Reading." - The Gaurdian

"A parliamentary report found that Australia's almost 3.8 million pet cats kill up to 390 million animals yearly and in NZ 18 million birds, bats and bugs end up killed by pet cats every year. Additionally, domestic cats may add to stray and feral cat populations – by escaping or breeding with feral cats." - Predator Free NZ

Hunting & Trapping

This include traps such as glue traps which can accidentally capture and kill animals other than the ones being targeted. 

It can also include wildlife traffickers capturing birds to be sold as pets of for releasing at ceremonies (both of which result in high mortality rates of around 75% in transit, plus most birds die after release or become invasive when taken to new locations). 

It can also include (legal or illegal) hunters purposefully shooting "game" birds, though this often results in endangered birds being caught up in buck shots and slowly dying of their wounds. The game bird industry is also guilty of factory farming birds to be released into the wild, where they often die because they don't know how to take care of themselves. The game industry has also imported "popular" bird species, then released them into new countries where they are now competing with endangered birds for resources like food and nesting spaces.

Climate Change

Climate change is altering the availability of resources like important food sources, water, and nest building materials. Forest forest reduce tree cover, evaporating lakes mean that wetland birds have nowhere to rest or nest in dry years, or if they do nest, they can be at greater risk from predators.

As seasons become less predictable parent birds are increasingly laying at the wrong time of year then run into problems like food scarcity or temperatures that kill their chicks.

Window Collisions

Around 1 billion bird deaths per year in the US alone are caused by window collisions.  - BirdFact

Simple changes to windows such as decals or closing windows and blinds can help save many lives. Bird Watching Daily says that you can "Prevent birds from hitting windows with these products"

Vehicle Collisions

Power Lines

Communication Towers

Light Pollution

"A recent study estimates that between 100 million and one billion birds are killed in the United States each year as a result of collisions with buildings. Given that most songbirds migrate at night, it’s no surprise that light pollution is a significant contributor to the harm of these birds. In addition to disrupting circadian rhythms, excessive artificial light at night (ALAN) can also disorient birds during migration. Bright lights at night on large buildings attract birds in the same way that bright porch lights attract moths, which can result in fatal collisions." - DarkSky

"Another study recently published in Scientific Reports investigated the different effects light pollution has on 298 species of birds. According to the authors, “It is well known that bird mortality due to collisions with buildings is related to light emissions from the buildings, but some species appear more susceptible to collision than others, suggesting that light pollution has a species-specific effect among nocturnal migrants.”" - DarkSky

Wind Turbines

Wind turbines kill a very small percentage of birds, but improved designs have made them easier for birds to see and avoid. New, bladeless designs are also being developed which are intended to make wind energy quieter and safer than ever for humans and wildlife. 

"Wind turbines are responsible for bird deaths. In the USA, three major studies estimate bird deaths from wind turbines, placing the annual death toll at 100,000 to 450,000. In the UK, some 10,000 to 100,000 birds are killed by wind turbines annually.

These figures are not totally negligible, but they pale in comparison to how many birds are killed by collisions with buildings (around 1 billion bird deaths per year in the US alone) and cats (around 1 to 4 billion bird deaths in the US alone).

That means wind turbines kill just 1/2500 to 1/10,000 of the number of birds killed by cats and buildings. So overall, wind turbines are not seen as a significant threat to bird life, so long as efforts are made to keep turbines away from migratory routes and other areas that feature high concentrations of bird life." - BirdFact

The Fishing Industry

"Bycatch is sea life that’s captured by fisheries and not sent to market for consumption. It’s an inevitable consequence of fisheries that use methods like trailing mile-long nets through the ocean, indiscriminately sweeping up all kinds of ocean life, or dropping down 60-mile-long baited fishing lines that attract and entangle marine animals and birds.

Every year U.S. fisheries unintentionally catch almost 2,000 federally protected marine mammals, almost 12,000 sea turtles —including federally protected loggerheads and leatherbacks  — and more than 7,600 seabirds." - Take Extinction Off Your Plate: How Meat Harms Wildlife

Plastic Pollution

"Consuming plastic leads to widespread scar tissue throughout the internal organs of these seabirds, which slowly starves them, causes kidney and liver disease, and makes them more susceptible to pathogens."

Researchers found that in addition serious damage to their stomach and digestive glands, birds go on to show outward signs including 

"as plastics float around in the ocean for a year, 10 years, a couple of decades, they basically act like a magnet or sponge, and they take all of the chemicals that we've put out into the atmosphere and elsewhere through things like fossil fuel burning, and they absorb it onto the surface so that the plastic becomes" as one marine biologist put it, "like a little toxic bullet.

It's... not just chemicals. Plastics that have been floating in the ocean for years can be vectors for a range of pathogens and diseases. So now we've kind of come full circle.

You've got plastics that can carry bacteria and viruses entering into an animal when it consumes that plastic, and then the plastic itself is breaking down the stomach's ability to defend itself — its mucosal barrier — and it kind of becomes like this loop where things kind of spiral a little bit out of control." - Plastic Pollution is so Bad for Animals it Now Has a Disease Name — 'Plasticosis' 

Nest Disturbance, Destruction, & Theft

Some nest destruction or abandonments are caused by farming equipment, off-leash dogs in grasslands, dunes, or beaches, or sometimes even purpousfully. Some people try to "rescue" eggs or chicks they find on the ground, but usually the best thing to do is leave ground nesting birds alone, or contact your local wildlife rescue about how to help fallen chicks.

It is illegal to remove chicks or eggs from nests, especially endangered species. Trying to move a nest to a safer or more convenient location will often cause parents to abandon their nests entirely.

Bird’s Nest Soup Is More Popular Than Ever, Thanks to Swiftlet House Farms (Article, 2017) These downward spirals began well before the advent of nest farming, but Lord Cranbrook believes the recent craze is only loading more pressure on wild colonies. The expansion of domestication has broadened consumer appeal and access to nests, he says. What’s more, it’s pushed up demands for cave-fresh ingredients, which some claim are higher quality than the home-raised variety. “All this house farming has not saved the wild population, and it’s not going to,” Lord Cranbrook says. 

Calls to Action

Solutions


Protect Habitat

Go Organic: Farming & Gardens

Go Vegan

Most of our habitable land is used for farming, and most of our farm land is used for livestock, even though they provide surpirsingly low returns of protein and calories. Vegan diets use less land, less water, and less energy, which means less emissions too!

Wildlife-Flower Gardens

Protect Birds & Enforce Laws

Create More Habitat

Dig a Pond

https://theconversation.com/want-to-help-rare-birds-dig-a-pond-137136

Rewilding

Dew Ponds

These are artificial water sources created on hills, to provide water to livestock and wildlife. They can continue to provide water even during droughts, without being artificially refilled, and can last for thousands of years with little to no maintenance.

Bird-Friendly Energy

Fossil Fuels pose the greatest danger to birds, with wind turbines killing far fewer people, birds, bats, or other animals. Reducing our reliance on energy with better insulation and more efficient appliances can help, but we should also focus on installing more Solar, High-Efficiency Heat Pumps, Hydro, and Bird-Friendly Wind can help save birds from the pollutants and global warming caused by our current rates of fossil fuel use.

Tools & Apps

Apps

USA

Africa

Namibia

Europe

UK

Northern Ireland

Resources & Guides

How-To Guide

Organisms that Support Birds

Lichens

Usnea Lichens

A variety of bird species used these fluffy lichens as a nesting material. These are sensitive to harmful air pollution, which also has a strong effect on birds. This means Usnea can act as bioindicators while we monitor the health of ecosystems intended to support birds.

Plants

These are food sources and home for many species of birds.

Worms

These provide a lot of protein and nutrition for growing baby birds. Some species who usually eat tougher foods, will often hunt for worms to feed to their offspring. This is another reason to avoid using pesticides, which can pass from soil, to worms, to birds then bioaccumulate quickly.

Birds as Indicator Species by Region

This section is intended to give people a reference of their own local indicator species. These might not be full guides, particularly as we are constantly learning new ways in which different species can indicate important information.

Europe

UK

England

Organizations

International

Africa

Cameroon

South Africa

Asia

Kazakhstan / Қазақстан

Europe

UK

England

North America

Canada

Mexico

Panama

USA

New York

Pacific Ocean

Oceana

Australia

Palau

South America

Chile

Colombia

Ecuador

Grants

International

North America

Belize

Canada

Caribbean

Mexico

USA

South America

Maps

International

North America

USA

Iowa

South America

Report Wildlife Crimes

North America

USA