Where Have All the Birds Gone?: The Declining U.S. Bird Popluation

Birdwatchers across the United States will soon be putting away their binoculars, discouraged to see fewer flutters in the branches and hear fewer songs in the morning. Although probably unnoticeable to many, bird species in the US are in widespread and steady decline. In fact, of the 800 species of birds found in the US, nearly one third are on the endangered species list or critically threatened.

In 2007 President Bush commissioned the US State of Birds report, a comprehensive assessment compiled by several organizations such as the US Geological Survey and the American Bird Conservancy. The study targeted habitat loss and invasive species as being the main dangers to our bird populations.

As urban sprawl creeps into our forests and skyscrapers climb into the skies there is little refuge for wild birds. The greatest example of this can be seen currently in the state of Hawaii, where almost every bird species on the islands are facing the threat of extinction unless conservation measures are taken urgently.

Pesticides and degradation of bird’s food supplies are other factors adding to the declining populations. The pesticide DDT, the negative effects of which were brought to light by Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, was banned in the US in 1972 yet there are still many other man-made chemical compounds in the environment causing widespread bird deaths.

With all of the other pressing environmental issues concerning more noticeable problems such as acid mine drainage, disappearing tropical rain forests, or climate change to name a few, declining bird populations may seem like a minor concern. However, what needs to be taken into consideration is that the biodiversity and health of bird species can be a mirror in which to see our environmental quality, either good or bad. The old “canary in the coal mine” example can be illustrated in our own backyards, forests, wetlands, and coasts. Disappearing bird species is not just an American phenomenon. As Tim Webb of Great Britain's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds stated, "It is just as important to see which birds are not around as which birds are there".

Birds also play important roles in nearly every ecological niche and biome imaginable. They keep our insect and pest populations in check and help distribute plant seeds. Without them many food webs would cease to function, collapsing entire systems, sometimes across vast distances due to many species’ migratory nature.

A study conducted in France showed how climate change is throwing birds out of synchronization and forcing them to continually move northward. The same phenomenon is true in the US and could not only be another problem for many bird species’ survival, but also another indication of global climate change.

Fortunately the US State of Birds report also revealed data that bird populations can and do recover well when conservation measures are taken. Wetland species, such as pelicans, herons, ducks, and egrets are examples of some that have increased dramatically due to conservation and protection. The 2009 State of the Birds report is now available for updates of improvements and further actions needed. Hopefully the US can recognize birds as one of our most valuable environmental assets and will continue to take appropriate measures to protect their habitats and welfare.