The title of that first blog entry was Ask not what the birds can do for you -- ask what you can do for the birds. I want to revisit that question again in the context of all that I’ve blogged about, posted and replied to messages about, and e-mailed Eons birders privately about these past going-on-three years.
For me -- and I hope for you, too -- this blog, this group, and a whole lot more besides is about appreciating and supporting the birds. Not just the very few that come to our personal backyard feeders, but all the birds everywhere. The ones we know and the ones that are so unfamiliar they seem bizarre. Tropical birds, polar birds, seabirds, desert birds, mountain birds. We can easily do so much more for them than toss ‘em some bird seed.
So, in the last of the time I have to spend with you, I want to share what I feel are some of the most important and meaningful things we can do to help birds everywhere survive and thrive. Personally, I do every one of these and you easily can, too -- if you choose to. If everyone who considers him/herself a birdwatcher did even half these things, the difference it would make for birds would be spectacular!
#1: Don’t kill the birds with your kindness!
Most people think they’re helping the birds by putting out seed. But you could easily be killing birds by making them sick and weak with substandard food. To make sure you’re not: (1) Keep your feeders clean; (2) put out good-quality food that is not moldy, wet, or full of chemical additives and preservatives such as colorants; (3) never throw out bread -- it can cause small birds to starve in cold weather because it fills their stomachs but has almost no nutritional value for them.
#2: Prevent window strikes around your house
If you’re attracting birds to your yard with food you’re greatly increasing the risk of killing them with your windows. Window strikes are among the leading causes of death for North American birds, estimated to kill one billion plus birds per year. There are many ways that you can work with your windows and feeder positioning to keep feeder visitors and other birds near your home safe. We use CollideEscape and it works beautifully. Here’s my past blog entry on the topic: view link
#3: Keep your cat indoors and encourage others to do likewise
Cats kill more birds annually in North America than anything else except habitat loss. They’re a non-native apex predator that our birds haven’t evolved to cope with. Anyone who puts out feeders and then lets their cat out is just leading birds into ambush. Bring kitty in or take your feeders down! Being in denial about what your cat is capable of is no excuse. Here’s a past blog entry with some useful information and links: view link
#4: Support your local Audubon Society chapter
Audubon Societies and other local birding non-profits are often the only organizations that do education, free field trips and walks, outreach, basic science, land conservation, and politicking in support of birds and their habitat. Often, thanks to the Audubon Society, little children grow up to appreciate birds and nature who might otherwise never be exposed to it. Thanks to Audubon there are fun volunteer opportunities to do great things for and with birds and wildlife. Thanks to Audubon we still have our herons and egrets instead of a bunch of 100-year-old hat plumes. A membership probably costs $25 -- time to cowboy up.
#5: Take political and social action on behalf of birds and wildlife
It’s so easy now with the Internet to write letters to public/elected officials -- practically all you have to do is click a button. Voting for conservation-minded candidates is also easy, as is telling your friends what you care about and why and encouraging them to get onboard, too. And then there’s going to town meetings and speaking up about issues like sprawl and green building codes. Sure, “people have to live somewhere,” but they don’t have to live in wasteful McMansions built on sprawl. Habitat loss is the #1 cause of declining bird populations and it’s destroying the quality of life for all beings on the planet -- including us. We could change this tomorrow if we all stood united for better solutions. Every little bit helps.
#6: Open your mind and your heart will follow
Many folks who feed birds aren’t motivated to get a bird book or binoculars, or look for/at birds except from inside their homes. That’s fine, of course… but there’s so much more. Go for a free walk with your local Audubon chapter -- it’ll open up a whole new world for you! A world you can share with grandchildren, neighbors and friends, where you can make new friends and create new experiences that will enrich your life. By appreciating the birds more, you’ll find more ways to help them, trust me.
#7: Pass it on
Part of loving something is sharing it with others. When you share your love of birds and birdwatching with your family members and friends, they get to experience the wonder of birds, too. Many naturalists and educators are rightly concerned that younger generations of Americans have little connection to nature. If every birdwatcher consciously took more of the opportunities that arise all the time to introduce kids to birds, we could rest assured that future generations will love and care for the birds.
And -- pun intended -- on that note it’s time for me to fly.
Peace and good birding,
Scott Cronenweth
www.naturalpathwalks.com
