|
Approximately 1,200 bird species - 12% of all living bird species - are considered endangered, threatened, or vulnerable. It is too late to save some of them, but others still have a chance if we act now.
What can you do to save birds?
Take steps to halt global climate change. Support legislation that sets greenhouse gas reduction targets. Vote for legislators who pledge to fight global warming. Reduce your own carbon footprint. Be a responsible consumer. Try not to buy products that are harmful to the environment. Shop locally and sustainably. Consume less. Buy organic cotton clothes, sheets, and towels. Conventional cotton uses an enormous quantity of pesticide with significant impacts on birds. Do not keep birds other than domestic fowl in captivity. The trade in wild birds cannot be stopped until the market for them disappears. There is no way to ensure that cage birds were not taken from the wild. Cover or put predator silhouettes on your windows to keep birds from hitting them. Cover your windows at night during migration periods to reduce light pollution. Do not let cats roam outdoors unattended. Do not disturb vegetation during the nesting season. Refrain from using pesticides and chemical fertilizers. For your back yard, plant indigenous trees and flowers. The website of Plant Native provides information on native plants that favor wildlife including birds. If you have space in your back yard, consider creating a small pond. It will become an essential habitat for insects, amphibians, and birds. Support and join organizations such as Endangered Species International that protect birds and their habitats.
Links
Acknowledgements
ESI thanks Ken Burton for writing most of the ESI bird pages! Ken is an ornithologist based in California USA.
|
|
North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx australis) is an endangered bird with populations decreasing by as much as 86% in 40 years. © Paddy Ryan
Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) feeds on mice, moles and other rodents. © Pierre Fidenci
Global population trends of the white headed stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus) have not been assessed. © Ken Burton
The biggest threat to the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) is loss of old growth forest as a result of logging and forest fragmentation. © Ken Burton
|
