Here's something else that's for the birds - safer building designs to reduce the number of birds killed by hitting glass, or harmed by the attraction of brightly-lit buildings during migration seasons.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kamin/ct-biz-bird-friendly-design-kamin-0211-story.html
The "Bird-Safe Buildings Act". Mike Quigley, D, and Morgan Griffith, R, introduced it. It "requires that each public building constructed, acquired, or significantly altered by the General Services Administration (GSA) incorporate bird-safe building materials and design features, to the maximum extent possible."
https://quigley.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/quigley-reintroduces-bird-safe-buildings-act-prevent-bird-collisions
5
"They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got til its gone ...
Leave me the birds and the bees
Please!"
- Joni Mitchell, 1970 (!)
7
The decimation of insect populations worldwide is so extreme now that birds are starting to feed on each other. We have truly messed up our planet and the future is frightening. Too many humans, too much greed and garbage.
6
Thank you, Margaret Renkl.
Pesticides and other chemicals -> insect decline -> bird decline. I worked at the big-box store with the orange aprons a few years ago, and that summer, so many people were coming in asking for Spectracide. Customers told me that their roses were suffering from beetle infestations. I HATED working in the lawn chemicals aisle -- it stank horribly, and Spectracide sounded like a terrible idea, so I wrote one of the company reps. I had her reply *in the system* to show customers as proof -- she wrote that Spectracide *kills all pollinators.* I kept trying to explain this to customers, and they stared at me blankly and said "but my roses!" -- and bought the Spectracide. It FLEW off the shelves that summer. And so I despair for all of us.
People, plant native species that bugs and birds will eat and pollinate naturally. Forget your roses, your bleeding hearts, your beautiful finicky fancy whatevers. Consult your local DNR and your university extensions -- find out what to plant so that we can support our planet's survival! And then spread the word on your street, in your neighborhood, in your city. We have to try!
6
We are lucky enough to see many birds at our feeder. But it was VERY weird to see red-wing blackbirds in January! I think they have since gone south again, but there were at least 30 for a few days, and it was cold and snowing for part of their visit. We don't usually see them till March or April.
1
Yes, I feed birds and avoid pesticides, but the most important thing I do is to plant trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants native to my area. The berries, nectar, and seeds these native plants produce are the foods birds need.
Perhaps most surprising, though, is that native plants produce the food most important to birds raising their young: insects. Doug Tallamy’s books "Bringing Nature Home” and “The Living Landscape” explain why. They’re science-based and inspiring! You can also search YouTube for videos of Tallamy’s excellent presentations.
I’ll be counting birds this weekend not only by watching my feeders but especially by watching birds take advantage of the natural foods my yard provides all year round.
14
Project Feederwatch runs from November through April. Count numbers and species that appear at your feeder area and submit the data to Cornell.
So far we have had starlings (early), robins (early), cardinals, juncos, various finches and sparrows, all as expected. But for the past two seasons we haven't had any titmice or nuthatches.
3
Thanks so much for posting this event. I've sent the information out to our local community.
Like most states there are fewer birds. It doesn't help that Tehachapi, CA has plunked down over 5000 wind turbines right in the middle of the southern Sierras, a major migration corridor. I'm located in rural mountainous south of Jawbone Canyon State Park. No more California condors, kites, redtail hawks, Bald or Golden Eagles, finch sized red belly birds, woodpeckers or grosbeaks. They're gone. Thus, the reason for participating.
5
Really want to help? Do not let your cat outside. If you must, at least bell your cat. And all the animal rescue groups, give the cat owner instructions on not letting the cat our or give them a bell. In the UK there is a massive effort to bell cats in adoption groups and beyond. People are proud to bell their cats. The new break away collars plus a bell should be the standard.
14
We have been feeding birds and maintaining bird houses in our backyards for about 20 years. We see fewer and fewer birds every year. Yet we continue to maintain the feeders in the hope that we are helping the remaining population. We see hardly any bees, butterflies, dragonflies, preying mantis', garter snakes also - in fact one barely needs even 10 fingers to count the instances of a sighting per summer. I won't plant anything in the yard that isn't beneficial to a bird or a pollinator, period. But it feels very futile these efforts; the daily environmental news is utterly depressing and absolutely frightening. $$ will not save any of us from the environmental apocalypse just around the corner. We cannot breathe, drink or eat $$. When will humans get it?
25
@Randé here in New Jersey, I’m experiencing the same things. I’ve been feeding the birds for years and in the last few winters, I have used much less birdseed than in the past. There simply aren’t the birds around to consume it. I used to see many, many praying mantises, butterflies, moths, bats and bees. Now when we see them it’s like a special treat. Like you, I’ve begun planting only native species that are beneficial to wildlife. Maybe our tiny efforts will help a creature or two.
10
This is silly but I was thrilled to see I have the same bird bath as Margaret Renkl, one of my favorite people!
The robins never come up from the yard to my deck for food or water, but I have lots of other bird friends who do.
4
A great opinion piece. Birds are man's ubiquitous neighbors and have been among the most adaptive classes of animals with whom we share this earth. Moreover, their remarkable range of environmental adaptation across the planet is a direct reflection of the earth's ability to sustain life across its harshest and most benign settings. Whether you live in New York, New Orleans, or Los Angeles, birds species have established seasonal routes that allow them to be seen at differing times of year in even our grittiest urban landscapes as well as bucolic scenery.
By recognizing the changing patterns and presence in the migratory habits of the vast array of species within this animal class, we have a real-time measure of the rate of environmental degradation we are suffering. Rachel Carson established this ornithological correlation in the national psyche with her pioneering research and writings admonishing us to heed the impact of DDT on birds as an early warning system for all of us. Her scientific rigor and compelling humanity was able to curb both toxic habits and a major industry.
Could she have possibly imagined what a greater existential threat we would bring her avian bellwethers and ourselves through our slower, more pernicious behavior resulting in climate change? Where will we find the hope that she engendered in her life's work to change how we live enough to save this world?
4
@GuiG Eliminate greed.
1
I had the yearly Blue Jay, Mockingbird, Robin, Grackle, Sparrow, and Cardinal families show up this weekend starting their yearly fight for territory to start building nests. Haven't seen the Mourning Doves , or Swallows yet, however I did see a Turkey Vulture on my roof yesterday, I think he or she was just cold and wanted to find a warmer place. I love the birds in the backyard but can't keep any fruit on the trees, they eat it all.
4
Each of us can do something for birds. If you can't feed the birds in your back yard, you can make a contribution to migrating flocks: an easy and effective thing to do is to buy Smithsonian-certified "bird-friendly" coffee (there are a number of brands out there--I order ours from Vermont).
Enjoy it yourself, but (here's where you can really make a difference) buy additional packs to use as "host gifts" or birthday presents to get a conversation going with others about how shade-grown coffee helps preserve essential habitat.
Buy duck stamps at the P.O. The $25 fee goes directly to conservation.
But you don't have to spend money. Take kids outside. Look at and talk about birds and where they live and what they eat. Pass on the bird love!
17
"Whole species of birds had simply disappeared from the survey area. Carolina wrens, gone. Eastern bluebirds, gone. Hermit thrushes, gone. Two different species of kinglets, gone."
Has it ever occured to you, that they may have just moved further south as the cold weather came in ?
Many of the birds that migrate to the northern US in the winter spend their summers above the arctic circle.
Another state further south is just a hop, skip, and jump away.
3
@Objectivist In two days in the middle of a storm and sever cold?
@Objectivist
How do you know of an object wtihout a subject?
Is there even any meaning to the word?
The massive decline in insects, which many species of birds depend on is a tragedy of enormous proportions. While it's hard to determine how much of this decline is due to global warming, what we do know is that much of it is attributable to the increased use of pesticides.
This is not something that "just happens". Farmers are being pressured by corporations like Monsanto to use these neurotoxins and given the tight margins for most framers, most go along.
Not only do these chemicals kill any and all insects that come in contact with, but they are killing us as well with well documented increases in certain cancers.
If we cannot wake up and take action for the insects and birds we should at least take action to save ourselves. In the process we might discover just how interconnected this remarkable web of life is.
27
The birds are being hit by calamity on all sides.
Climate change disrupts their lives with higher temperatures (less water, heat stress, less food), shifts in the timing of seasons and with the movement of the Earth’s magnetic field that throws off their migration patterns.
On top of that, there are fewer insects to eat because of pesticides; heavy predation from domestic cats; competition from large birds that thrive on landfills (ravens, seagulls, etc.), glass windows that fool them into thinking a solid pane is clear air; collisions with power lines and wind turbines; and loss of wild space with suitable vegetation.
If we don’t support birds, then we don’t support ourselves.
We are headed straight toward a really nasty global famine if we can’t figure out how to hold onto the ecosystem that has nurtured us for millennia.
21
This has been an astonishing year for overwintering birds in the NYC area. There are at least six warbler species trying to make it through. There are large numbers of overwintering waterfowl, and a stronger than usual owl irruption. So there's a combination of birds here because of milder than average weather, and birds here because of lack of feeding opportunities up north. It's the kind of year where the species count is high, but the number of individual birds might be lower than average.
4
What would we do with out your writings.
We reside in California, and two days ago, our Toyons were heavy with their fruit, however, this morning a noisy band of robins stopped by to clean the brush of practically all berries, and what a show, and then resting in trees around our property, what a mess at their reseeding endevors. Too funny, and very beautiful. In and out, and onto another property. How many did we count, cannot say, ~40, maybe?
Thank you again very much!
9
@plages. Look for waxwings in with the robins.
This is laudable but will do little to save any species. I feed birds high-quality seed and try to be good to the planet in other ways, but too many benefit too greatly, financially, for the tide to turn. Small efforts have little impact, and are sometimes suspect, as is the case with the Sumatran tiger that killed a potential mate in a London zoo recently. Breeding big cats is all about getting attendance up with cute kittens; it has no real effect on numbers in any way that helps a species's necessary genetic diversity.
2
I am glad to see this article in the Times. I joined the Audubon Society last year; also got a Hummingbird feeder last year. First time having a feeder and they are great to have and watch them come and feed.
Frozen birds in Chicago is pretty awful but weather there awful this year. Birds are beautiful.
3
There may be nothing we can do to prevent the next Silent Spring.
6
This is an important article. Thank you for the comment about the International Dark Sky Association, which has tried to educate people that wasted light wastes money and often makes people less safe at night. There are those who do water quality analysis in Minnesota's Boundary Waters using disks to see how far underwater they can still be seen. For years, I did variable star observing, one of the best ways average people could help science. I have used my computer to do calculations on climate models that were sent online. Lots to do, and it is still a remarkable world.
10
Very informative article. I checked out The GBBC web site. I hang back yard feeders for finches and woodpeckers. But lately Starlings are scaring away other birds and eating up the suet cakes and nyjer seeds. Last year I saw fewer finches and no woodpeckers at all.
3
We usually have a number of house wren and some chickadees living in and around my building. I feed them in the winter. I went out to feed them after the last cold snap and they are all gone. I was hoping they flew someplace warmer, but after reading this article, I'm not very hopeful.
3
Hey - I can't tell the difference between a Cooper's and a Sharp-shinned hawk with a book or not.
I have 3 feeders I am about to fill - again - to keep my locals in good shape even with lousy weather.Ya do what ya can and I'll be counting this year for the first time.
13
I spend 25$ a month feeding birds in my back yard. I'm planting a pollinator garden. I have several bird houses in my trees. The dog keeps the cats out of the area. I live in a so called rural, natural area. Every year I see fewer birds. The only animal I see more of every year are humans. I'm afraid, unless we decide that our numbers and development cannot continue to explode without any restraints, all other creatures (and eventually us too) will have to be sacrificed to grow, feed, employ and house humans. There is only so much earth. It can be used to grow and sustain a reasonable number of many creatures or at the expense of all the others, one species.
38
no, no - we still have bluebirds in ny state! heard robins and blue jays and a chickadee this morning...
5
In the 1940s, in "A Sand County Almanac," Aldo Leopold catalogued the ways in which humans use nature for "recreation," e.g:
"We come now to another component: the perception of the natural processes by which the land and living things upon it have achieved their characteristic forms (evolution) and by which they maintain their existence (ecology). That thing called 'nature study,' despite the shiver it brings to the spines of the elect, constitutes the first embryonic groping of the mass-mind toward perception.
"The outstanding characteristic of perception is that it entails no consumption and no dilution of any resource. ...
"To promote perception is the only truly creative part of recreational engineering.
"This fact is important, and its potential power for bettering 'the good life' is only dimly understood. ...
"Recreation, however, is not the outdoors, but our reaction to it. ... The only true development in American recreational resources is the development of the perceptive faculty in Americans. All of the other acts we grace by that name are, at best, attempts to retard or mask the process of dilution."
And it's all still true today. Enjoy the bird count!
13
Excellent idea. This will help us count how many flocks of migratory birds are being chopped into pieces by all of the unnecessary windmills we’re building to combat the imaginary climate change scam.
3
@Greg Are you just trying to to be provocative? The is no question that goal temperatures are steadily rising. There is no question that this leads to weather extremes. There is no question that most species have trouble with the these changes. Finally, there is no question that human activity is responsible for most of these.
11
@Greg Ha, ha! Of course, Greg. The decline of migratory bird populations is entirely because of windmills. I'd love to know who you think is running the "scam". Perhaps it's 97% of the climate scientist on earth -- excluding, of course, the ones who have been bribed by the big oil companies.
Maybe NASA's list of U.S. Scientific Societies will convince you. Or at least make you think. Assuming that, unlike our President, you are able to read:
https://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/
9
Must be nice to be so certain.
Almost certainly wrong but certain nonetheless.
Back in the day, miners using caged canaries as an early warning or test measure when they went down into a coal mine to probe a potentially dangerous mine shaft.
Various birds, insects, butterflies, and the like are disappearing at an alarming rate and in alarming numbers. Our environment is equivalent to those miner shafts.
How many more warning signs and vanishing species need to occur before it's too late . . . for every living inhabitant on this planet?
38
I do my daily bird count at my side yard feeders. Most common are the Cardinals and the white throated sparrows. But I also get house wrens, three different woodpeckers ( hairy, downy and red-bellied), mourning doves and an occasional blue jay. The robins mostly like the crabapple trees that are all over Concord, NH where I live now. And early this am I heard the owl that has been silent for several months. Some hawks fly by but too far away to identify.
Looking forward to spring when I will have to throw out seed somewhere because bears evidently can be a problem if one keeps feeders up when the weather warms or go to the nearby Audubon preserve.
4
I thought I'd share this video I received this morning from ebird.com
Columbian setting national park bird trail
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-jn1_thxK8&feature=youtu.be
6
@Bull
That was the most fascinating and gorgeous film production I’v seen in forever. Thank you so much for sharing it. It should have an academy award!
1
Climate change, pesticides and depletion of habitat ( i.e. Homo sapiens ) may be the biggest threats to the songbird population, but free-roaming cats (domesticated or feral ) are the second biggest threat, and kill between 1.4 and 3.7 billion birds in the continental US every year. I love cats, but they are fearsome hunters of birds and other small mammals, so make sure when they are outside they have at least a brightly-colored collar with a bell and if you can bear to keep your cat inside during the daylight hours, that is when birds are at their most vulnerable. Birds need all the help they can get.
49
What would the beginning of the collapse of Earth's biosphere and ecosystems look and feel like? It would look like massive precipitous declines in insects, birds, mammals, fish etc. See the CNN article today "Massive insect decline . . ." And unless you were a biologist - it wouldn't feel like much until it crossed the 'carrying capacity' line into massive world-wide human catastrophe. Some morning in the near future we are about to wake up and realize we cannot turn the clock back and are stuck with a depleted and ever more non-supportive planet. Starving peoples will migrate en mass and walls will not keep them out. Societies will collapse. The religions will at last have their final days - spawned not by the actions of their mythical Gods but by the precepts of their “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it" mantras. Knowledge and Science are anathema to them. The Anthropocene is about to get very ugly.
58
@Ed Smith. But the left thinks importing more people is the only way to save this country. And the right thinks birth control is a sin. Short sighted stupidity is truly bipartisan.
5
Some people don't believe that the climate is changing. I would ask them why they think other people are counting up the dead animal species now. Do they think these people have nothing better to do with their time?
20
Feed the birds, in your backyard. Ignore the naysayers, and just buy reduced price, “stale “ bread and rolls at your local supermarket. I tear into pieces while watching TV, into a very large plastic bowl. Dump on the back patio and enjoy the show.
They wait for me.
6
@Phyliss Dalmatian bread is bad for birds. They will eat the bread, but it’s like eating junk food. If it is moldy, it can kill them. They need nuts, seeds, berries, fruit and veggies like lettuce depending on the bird. Please don’t feed them bread!
36
@Phyliss Dalmatian : Yes, the show is fun, I have birdfeeders, and throw seed on the ground for the groundfeeders, too. I do agree with the other reply to your post, though. Bird seed is inexpensive, at least similar to the cost of the stale bread, and much more nutrient dense for our entertaining, feathered friends. And thank you for a crucial article, Ms. Renkl. We are all connected, even if some people don't seem to realize it.
25
@Phyliss Dalmatian I'm a birder too and think it's particularly important during these frigid periods to provide feed for the birds. The fact you see uncommon birds coming to the feeder who wouldn't be around people normally tells you that they need it.
We have hummingbirds year-round. At the moment you have to bring in your syrup feeders every night. In the morning they're right there waiting.
13
What would it take to automate the wildlife counts?
2
All those laudable words and nary a mention of pesticides, herbicides and their like. The elephant IS the room and your heads are in the sand. Exponential danger. Our children or factory farming. Your buying/eating habits or your future.
16
@J Norris. The base cause is human numbers. More of us require more of everything to support us. That means less for almost all other creatures. Ok, cows, flies, cockroaches, rats and the like, excepted.
3
@J Norris
Speaking of pesticides...
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/10/plummeting-insect-numbers-threaten-collapse-of-nature
2
Now we have a great new baseline from which to compare bird population thanks to our federal government. In 2018 the Trump administration weakened the iconic Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is being ordered not to enforce the killing of birds any longer. This leaves bird protection up to the patchwork of state protection or lack thereof see: https://www.audubon.org/news/new-york-leads-eight-states-filing-federal-lawsuit-restore-bird-protection-law
25
@justvisitingthisplanet, Yes, absolutely. This was a vicious and vindictive and completely unnecessary action by Trump to beat his pathetic chest and try to show how "tough" he was. Yeah, he can grind those birds under his foot, what a man.
I know he doesn't care. Think about it, we have a head of government who doesn't care. Circles of barbed wire are his legacy.
35
@justvisitingthisplane
I was sickened when I called the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to report that I had witnessed the Army Corps of Engineers bulldozing an Oystercatcher nest, only to learn that "Under the current administration, The Migratory Bird Treaty Act has been re-interpreted such that the"incidental " take of migratory birds is no longer illegal.
13
@DJS - I'm kind of hoping that the current Administration will end up (after one term) having a positive effect by showcasing how bad things can get when leadership tries taking our country back to the days of killer smog and free dumping of everything everywhere.
So glad to see this. I participate in Cornell's Project Feeder watch and I'm ready for this week's bird count. For those whose interest has been piqued, I hope that you'll sign up. It's easy to do.
The greatest assist to my bird feeding has been making my special suet mix in addition to my black oil seed. It has lots of fat (lard/peanut butter) so I know that my bird friends are getting plenty of calories to make it through frigid temps. It is a great help to non-seed eating birds (e.g. bluebirds, hermit thrush) in addition to attracting everyone else. Even with the vortex, our VA weather did not match the couple of -5 degree days that we had last winter. I learned from a local ornithological society that a bluebirds were hit hard that year.
When it was cold last week, I was going through 5 lbs a day. But I buy stuff in bulk (50lbs of cornmeal, flour and lard), so that keeps the costs down. Our bird friends are managing a numbers game...and it gets deadly when snow/ice cover the ground and their metabolic needs to survive are on edge with what they can find to eat. And a small investment in a heated birdbath will be much appreciated.
While one commentor snorted at the validity of citizen science projects....if anything it gets you focused on who is visiting your yard: who is new and who is missing are important.
26
@Leisa, feeding birds is a questionable exercise. I used to maintain multiple feeders — stocked with a songbird mix, and sunflower, thistle, and safflower seeds. I kept the seed fresh (was constantly filling the feeders because I live in a wildlife-rich area) and the feeders clean. Then there was an outbreak of avian disease locally, and it was bad enough that people were asked to remove their feeders and empty their bird baths. That drove home the fact that feeders create unnatural feeding behaviors — mobbing, fighting and predation (hawks, cats) — which can be deadly for the birds you are trying to view. I stopped feeding and concentrated on growing seed and nectar producing plants, creating habitat and leaving leaf litter on the ground to promote worms and other edible crawlies. I still provide water in well-scrubbed birdbaths, because I am in summer-drought California. In the warm months I will put out hummingbird feeders, but the hummers live largely on the many salvias and other nectar plants in my garden. I have lots of bird life to view, and I see it in a more natural, healthy form.
9
@Passion for Peaches
At 7100 ft. in Colorado on the front range, my feeders are very popular. There's not much else available with a foot or more of snow still on the ground. Yes, there is possible predation but from what I have seen, it's not at all common and cats are a non-issue around here. (Coyotes)
10
There are many articles now on the ‘insect Armageddon’. No bugs, no birds. I believe pesticides and insecticides are causing that problem. Look to agribusiness if your looking for causes. In fact, everything humankind does affects the circle of life on this planet. If things don’t change a Silent Spring will become a reality.
19
@Janet Anderson, both pesticides and excessive fertilizer use play a huge role in ruining the overall balance of a garden (and farmland), all the way down to the soil. I used to grow a lot of fussy roses that needed regular spraying for pests and fungus. It seemed as if I was always getting infestations that need more spray (thrips, for instance, which are nearly impossible to control with pesticide), and the greedy roses needed regular doses of fertilizer. My soil looked tired and had few worms. Then I had to let the garden go fallow for a few years. When I got back in there only the hardiest plants had survived the neglect (of the roses it was rugosas and some tough hedge roses). I put in lots of nectar plants, amended the soil with just compost, earthworm castings and greensand. Above all, I did not spray for pests. A few years later I had a lush garden with no infestations, loads of worms, resident hummingbirds, butterflies galore, quail nesting under my salvias, foxes and a bobcat eating the gophers. In other words, a thriving ecosystem.
27
@Janet Anderson
It's not only being caused by pesticides but also global warming and other unknown factors, possibly including light pollution:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/10/plummeting-insect-numbers-threaten-collapse-of-nature
1
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, National Audubon, American Bird Conservancy and the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center are four organizations dedicated to bird conservation.
We work with all four of them and with several dozen local and state organizations to raise awareness of bird conservation issues.
One major problem affecting birds that migrate to the tropics for our winter is the loss of forest that provides food and shelter for local and visiting species. Compounding the issue is the surging dominance of 'sun' coffee farming by 'big-agri' using more chemicals and less local labor. Traditionally, coffee in the Americas is grown, to organic standards, on family farms in an 'agro-forestry' system that largely keeps forest in tack.
Twenty years ago the Smithsonian developed a science based certification for coffee grown this way - 'Bird Friendly' - shade grown, organic coffee.
The significant population declines of many songbirds - warblers, tanagers, thrushes, flycatchers and others - is partially due to the loss of tropical forest and traditional shade grown coffee, Buying and drinking coffee with the Smithsonian 'Bird Friendly' certification on the bag helps arrest further loss of these wonderful birds. And keeps traditional, viable local rural economies intact.
A major factor in bird population declines is the intense chemical use on large scale farms. The toxic elements released into soil are killing birds we love.
Join the GBBC, eat well, feed the birds !
27
@Bill Wilson
Yes! I've been drinking the shade grown coffee for years.
Our local Audubon sells "Birds and Beans" from MA.
You can also order "SongBird" coffee through the ABA (American Birding Association).
These are superb coffees. The shade grown grows slower and to my taste seems much less acidic. Delicious as well as good for the environment and birds.
I visited a coffee plantation in Panama a few years ago that has some, but not all coffee growing under trees. They give bird tours at their plantation!
1
This is a very sad and depressing piece. We had to stop feeding our birds, after enjoying their presence for decades, when the coyotes starting showing up in our suburban yard. It’s happening everywhere and we ignore it at our own peril.
@Jan Moidel You're lucky to have coyotes in your yard. We have them in the area, and if I thought I could entice them to the occasional visit, I'd put out 100 pounds of seed at a time.
2
There is very little real science going on here. Aggregation of counts provided by untrained, unsupervised reporters are about as useful as self-reported weight loss statistics.
Birds, and every other animal group on earth will or won't adapt to climate change depending upon the evolutionary tools they have at their disposal. Mankind is completely and utterly incapable of modifying its behavior to head off any of the already devastating effects of climate change. It's already too late. I sincerely doubt the human race will survive except in small, isolated pockets.
But let's count birds. It will help us feel better about it.
5
Whoa. You’re certainly entitled to your pessimism and there’s no doubt that the effects of humankind on our fellow species have been devastating, yes perhaps fatally as you aver.
No need to mock and damn us who chose to count, however. That’s just mean-spirited and nasty. Who feels better?
Those who choose to count aren’t foolish, but we are optimists, which might be significant in aggregate. Read the caring and wise comments from many below. Giving up isn’t going to help any living and loving thing. It looks bleak; do what you can.
23
@Barbyr, I don’t think anyone considers the backyard bird count to be scientific. At best it *suggests* regional trends in bird populations. But even that information is useful. The more eyes on, the better.
8
@Barbyr, have you looked at the GBBC website? Have you looked at the detailed instructions for participating? For the people who contribute, I think they likely are consistent in their methods. Differential data is important in these types of studies. If a participant reports fewer birds one year to the next, that can be meaningful and significant. I applaud anyone who takes part in this effort.
4
I live in Chicago and have been feeding our backyard plethora of birds for over 35 years. In that time, we had the 1999 blizzard and the 2011 blizzard with about an equal amount of snow to the dipping, frigid freezing days where the temps were in the minus category, BEFORE any wind chill temps were factored in. Never once did I ever find a frozen bird . . . until now.
Within the past few weeks, I have encountered at least a dozen little frozen birds, all adults. One bird was lying underneath a feeder, still alive. I picked him up and brought him into the basement, where I began to breathe on him while holding him close to my chest, in hopes of warming him up. After a few moments, his eyes opened and he started to flutter his wings a bit. I thought he was coming around and would be okay. Then after a few more minutes, he just starred at him and then closed his eyes. He was gone. I cried as hard as if one of my beloved cats had passed. I kept thinking, "If only I had spotted him sooner, I might have been able to save him."
We even have a heated bird bath for these little darlings to drink and clean their feathers from dirt and debris so they can stay warm and hydrated.
I have never encountered so many frozen birds - ever. Something odd and unnatural is going on with the environment. If birds are beginning to disappear and/or not make it through the winter, could it eventually be a matter of time before bigger, two legged creatures fall to a similar demise?
71
I am not sure what year to year bird variations mean. We have lived here in New mexico for 20 years. One year we had half dozen Lewis woodpeckers over winter in our orchard. We had never seen in the orchard before and have never seen them there since.
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For what it's worth, after the polar vortex passed through, it looks as if all "my" birds survived. That includes cardinals, woodpeckers, etc., etc. who come to my feeders. I have been feeding birds for over years at this spot.
I live on 3/4 of an acre in Grand Rapids Township on a lot with mature oaks and black walnut trees, pine trees, and cedar trees. I keep my side yard and back yard in a semi natural state.
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I have spent numerous winters on the beach in Mazatlan beginning in 1975. The last five years show on ominous trend. Less and less birds which also means less fish. One of the most delightful sights on the Mexican Pacific coast is that of lines of pelicans skimming the waves. Until this year. They just aren’t here. It breaks my heart.
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Thanks to the author and editor for raising awareness about the birds that share our environment with us. I served for many years in the Boy Scouts as a counselor for the Bird Study merit badge. This was not a popular merit badge (rank 88 of 137 in 2017) and I got few to sign up and even fewer to earn it. But those 12-18 year old scouts that did start it really gained an appreciation for birds and nature. Hopefully more people will disconnect more frequently from their electronic devices and get more connected with the wonderful living world around us. [BTW, the First Aid and Bugling merit badges were the most and least popular, respectively.]
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@lstanton
Boy Scout merit badge counselor here, too (Family Life and Communication). My son earned both the First Aid and Bugling badges. I am sorry he did not get a chance to do the Bird Study badge. Thank you for volunteering.
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There was an entymologist (I didn't get her name) on BBC/NPR this morning and she said the insect population around the world is decreasing. She attributed the decrease to humans and the "way we live. We cause more pollution in the air, land and water which is detrimental to the insect population."
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@susan and...let's not forget our copious usage of insecticides...
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@susan
The Guardian has a really good article on this.
“We knew that something was amiss in the first couple days,” said Brad Lister. “We were driving into the forest and at the same time both Andres and I said: ‘Where are all the birds?’ There was nothing.”
His return to the Luquillo rainforest in Puerto Rico after 35 years was to reveal an appalling discovery. The insect population that once provided plentiful food for birds throughout the mountainous national park had collapsed. On the ground, 98% had gone. Up in the leafy canopy, 80% had vanished. The most likely culprit by far is global warming."
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/15/insect-collapse-we-are-destroying-our-life-support-systems
@susan And habitat fragmentation and outright elimination!
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What a great many people seem to not appreciate, is the essential eco services that our planet provides to human beings. It is not just that we all love to hear bird songs in the spring. The birds are vital to the continued well-being of our local bio systems. Biological diversity maintains the enormously complex interdependent structures that provide us with our drinking water and food, as well as flood control, local climate, waste treatment and disease control and yes, taking care of our carbon output to name a few.
A new study from universities in Australia and China reports that insect populations or disappearing at an astounding rate and estimates that up to 40% of insect species may go extinct in the next few decades. Even if Einstein didn't say "If bees disappeared homo sapiens would only live 4 years.", it is probably not far from the truth. Do you like to eat? Then you ought to be plenty scared.
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Thank you for the article! Was unaware of this but will participate.
In one way I think my count may be skewed: my backyard isn't typical in that I actively feed birds and squirrels. So my place is kind of like a diner: I can look out and see a squirrel or two and maybe three birds; look out again and I have 10+ squirrels (you can tell the old regulars, they're the healthiest you ever saw, get mistaken for small cats by passersby) and up to four dozen birds - starlings, sparrows, bluejays, flickers, cardinals, and mourning doves (a couple die-hards decided to winter over at their food source).
I live in a small town so my lot isn't wide open space. I'm not really a birder - I have a book that I have to look up a lot. But I get the sense that some populations have decided to become small town dwellers: just big enough to provide food sources (I'm not the only one - the birds make their rounds) and shelter but not too big to pose excessive danger. So I hope that as long as we don't trash the planet bad enough where we're all on the extinction list the birds and other animals will adapt.
I grieve somewhat thinking my granddaughter will see monarchs, bluejays and cardinals, tigers, and rhinos die out in her lifetime.
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@Don Mallen If you have that many squirrels, you might be missing a hawk or a fox. Since nature abhors a vacuum, some creature may show up to snack on the squirrels sooner rather than later.
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Thank you for publishing this article. The GBBC is an excellent way for people to help keep track of populations. I volunteer as a citizen scientist for another not-for-profit conducting bird counts at a nearby national park. (It is the one morning I look forward to getting up at 4:30 a.m.)
Over the last 10 or so years, we have kept track of bird species breeding in forests and fields of the park. Many species are migratory--meaning that they winter in the south (i.e., in the southern US, Caribbean, Mexico, South America) and return to the northeast to breed. Not only do weather extremes, as mentioned in the article, affect populations, but it seems there other causes to examine: loss of habitat to development, human encroachment/disturbance of habitat, predation, disease, and pesticides, to name a few, not only in the US but in overwintering areas. In my surveys, we have noted steady, downward trends of eastern meadowlarks and bobolinks in grassland portions of our territory. Some years we have no wood thrushes and only hermit thrushes; more recently, it's been the opposite. We also have had fewer breeding warbler species. And then there is an increase in certain species which historically were found to the south but have pushed north into our survey areas.
Among their many talents, birds consume and help control insect and rodent populations. Imagine a world without birds. That would be pretty horrible, in my humble opinion.
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We had significantly less birds this year than past. Both in numbers and species. I’m hoping this isn’t a trend and only because winter started so early this year. The Green deal is looking better everyday. I’m hoping it isn’t a generation too late.
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It was eerily quiet in my neck of the woods during the annual Christmas bird count this past December with reduced numbers on a large number of species. I've heard that this has been true in a number of locales. Sad and frightening.
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Thank you for this article - for reminding us that there are hundreds of thousands of people interested in nature and eager to participate. Thanks also for the link to other citizen-scientist efforts. These are great ways to engage kids, grandkids, and grandparents and to increase awareness. I'll suggest to my mother in law that she signs up for some of these - she'll love it.
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I have been birding for decades. I do not keep a life list, but I can remember what I've seen already. I still have a difficult time deciding if I'm seeing a Cooper's Hawk or Sharp-shinned Hawk. Heck, I have to look at a bird ID book a lot for other birds. The ones I see over and over again, or if I know their call/song I do not need to look it up.
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There are a number of basic bird books on the market for beginners and young people. I'm co-author of one available at http://www.blurb.com/b/7680014-ten-by-ten-birds. Stokes also has a Backyard Bird book.
@Delores Porch The new ABA guide to Oregon birds by Dave Irons is exactly what you need.
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It can start with the Great Backyard Bird Count and joining ebird, then you find Project Feederwatch, then April and May and the songbird arrive. Grabbing the binoculars and birding becomes addictive and very fun! Thank you for this reminder of the GBBC.
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I'm so glad that the Times is making this issue known to a wide audience. I would suggest that your readers join the Audubon Society, and look for ways to make their backyards a bird friendly habitat. Also, we need a president who doesn't dismantle our National Parks for his business buddies. We need to be aware of the health of birds, and other species that are indicators of a healthy environment, such as various fish, the coral reefs, and migratory animals of all sorts. The wall that Resident trump can't stop talking about, along with the miles of razor wire that out troops are installing, are very harmful to migratory species of all kinds. We as human beings have no right to endanger other species for the sake of empty political rhetoric.
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@Wayne Well put. I would only add (especially in light of the report on insect extinctions lately https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-07916-1 ) that the Xerces Society (https://xerces.org/) is a way to advocate for invertebrates, another crucial component of a healthy ecosystem.
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I have never understood how the counters can be sure that they are not counting the same bird over and over again.
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@Lock McShane It's not meant to be scientific, but a general look at trends. There is a technique to deciding if it is the same bird coming back to the feeder.
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@Lock McShane At least with Project Feederwatch, you keep track of the number of individuals of a particular species that you see at the same time. You might see three juncos first, then seven, then 15 all at once, then 3 again the last time you look. The number you report is 15. I keep a tick mark by each species throughout the day--not of every bird I see, but of the number I can count all at the same time.
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Reading the rules of the count should clear up your misunderstanding.
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I watched an old Paul Newman movie last night. In one scene, an outdoor meadow, the birdsong was so loud in the background that it interfered with the dialogue, and it just seemed normal. We used to find egg shells, nests, all kinds of evidence of birds living around us.
No more birds? It won't be long until we live in a world only friendly to machines. How long before we collectively say "I remember when it was different. I remember birds singing in trees..."
Incredible, but true. If there's one thing humans can't stand, it's non-humans just being around.
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@deb, I agree, and would go further. Just "existing" is enough to make many humans angry with other humans. It's a sin to just be!
Existing without toil, pain, or producing anything immediately valuable seems to be a cardinal sin in our society. The audacity of people to assume they're destined for more than just work! Relaxation, having fun, genuine mirth, or humbly appreciating your niche in the biosphere all seem to be strictly taboo (unless you're under six years old). It's too bad our human society is so caustic towards natural, non-tormented humans.
I always appreciate Margaret's columns (and the comments they generate) for a dose of clarity and compassion.
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Thank you so much for this! I will look into becoming a citizen observer. We owe so much to the species around us and it’s so sad to see some disappearing.
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