V19 N4

Bird Droppings
Dispatches from the nation’s birdwatching capital… by Seymore Thanu
As many readers are aware, North
America’s breeding bird population
has declined by 29 percent in the
past 50 years. This dramatic and
unprecedented decline has alarmed
scientists. The decline is widespread, involving
multiple habitat types and over a dozen
bird families. Some families, like the shorebirds
have suffered a 70 percent decline as has
the greatly loved Baltimore Oriole. The cause
of the decline is linked to our species manipulation
of the planet to suit our ambitions
including deforestation, the proliferation of
plate glass along key migratory corridors,
domestic free-roaming cats and automobiles.
Sixty years ago, a heroic biologist, Rachel
Carson, warned the world that we were heading
for a “Silent Spring” unless we stopped
applying a man-made insecticide, DDT. Her
frightening message bought us 60 years. Now
we face a new crisis. The solution is not as
simple as banning a chemical, it depends on
the buy in of all of us. We must reduce our
imprint upon the planet and try to accommodate
birds and other wildlife.
One way to reduce the slaughter is to
keep outside screens up year-round. Another
useful adjustment is to place your bird feeders
away from windows and patio doors. We
had a Cooper’s Hawk working our yard that
learned to herd birds into our patio door.
“Ping” and another White-throated sparrow
becomes a statistic. We soaped up the window
and greatly solved the problem.
Cats are different. Our native birds in
the Northeast have no defense against small
feline predators. Don’t even think that your
pampered, overweight tabby is an exception
to the rule. Indoor cats lead longer, healthier
lives so for their sakes and the birds who need
our help, keep your kitty indoors.
The problem of cars killing birds is hard
to address. Human reaction time is often not
fast enough to avoid hitting birds. Bird strikes
by automobiles are not uniformly distributed.
Like deer, there are crossing points that are
used more than others. One killing zone is
Sunset Boulevard, west of the South Cape
May Meadows. Most highway fatalities occur
in winter and during migration.
If you see a deer-crossing sign, be alert for
birds. If birds are darting across the road, be
vigilant. Where there is one, there are others.
Avoid tossing food out the window. It attracts
scavengers which attract hunting hawks and
owls with tragic results. If we all do a little to
protect birds, it will help. And maybe we can
avoid a “Silent Spring” and cancelled skies.
March 4, 2021 EXIT ZERO Page 35