Fact Friday: Where Have All the Birds Gone? : Nature in Crisis by Rebecca E. Hirsch

Image: Lerner Publishing

Happy Friday! Tomorrow is Earth Day and I hope you will get out and do something in nature tomorrow (and every day). Fact Friday features Where Have All the Birds Gone? : Nature in Crisis by Rebecca E. Hirsch. Did you know that birds have an important function in ecosystems around the world? Sure, they are pretty to look at and birdsong is just delightful to hear, but some, like hummingbirds, pollinate flowers, and others, like owls, keep down rodents. Unfortunately, bird populations are plummeting. According to this book, since 1970, the U.S. and Canada have lost nearly 30% of the bird population. This is due to human development, especially tall buildings and light pollution. House cats that are allowed out of doors prey on birds. Pesticides humans dump on lawns and spray in the air get into the insects that birds consume and poison them. And climate change is also affecting migration patterns.

Read this book to learn how scientists are trying to mitigate this loss. Try to notice the birds that surround you each day and consider what you might be able to do to make the environment less harsh.