The population of birds in North America has decreased by 30% since 1970. That equates to a population drop of 3 billion birds, according to a study published in the journal Science. This shocking decline is due to several different elements, including habitat destruction, pesticides, predation, and disease. One of the major factors is light pollution, which can confuse migratory birds into migrating earlier. This means that their destination’s resources are usually not available upon their arrival and their energy and fat stores are depleted. This leads to the birds dying from exhaustion, increased risk of cat predation — killing 2.4 billion birds every year — and increased collisions with man made structures — killing over one billion birds every year. These numbers could be greatly reduced if enough people simply turned off their lights.
Why should people care about birds though? Birds play a vital role in the environment. They eat hundreds of tons of insects and scavenging birds prevent the spread of diseases like rabies by eating animal carcasses. Additionally, birds have inspired human beings all around the world for centuries. Many media references, famous paintings, and literature revolve around birds. On any given day, you might look outside and see robins, crows, or sparrows, and now these birds might not even survive into the next year.
How exactly can you help the birds that share your environment? Turning off outdoor lights at night can go a long way and if you have to keep the lights on, you can attempt to turn off your lights during the migration seasons: spring and fall. You should also try avoiding pesticides, which are often fatal to birds. Organizations like the Audubon Society have volunteer opportunities for you to help your community, if there is a branch nearby. Other things you can do to help birds include creating gardens with bird friendly plants like sunflower or milkweed, installing birdhouses, putting decals on your windows to prevent collisions, or closing your curtains. If you consider birds an essential, irreplaceable part of nature, consider taking a few minutes to try some of these actions.
