B irds worldwide are at risk from human development and drilling, climate change, and government agendas.
The National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society has protected birds for more than 100 years, with programs in research, education, groundwork conservation measures to restore natural ecosystems, and advocacy. According to their studies, “2/3 of North American birds are at increasing risk of extinction from global temperature rise.”
https://www.audubon.org/climate/survivalbydegrees
Learn about these 7 steps to help birds.
Easy changes to make your home and lifestyle bird friendly. The Smithsonian’s Migratory Bird Center, and 3 Billion Birds program would like you to adopt these 7 steps to help birds, from sparrows in your backyard, beautifully singing meadowlarks, to birds that migrate long distances like swallows.
- Install screens on your windows, or use stick-ons/film/tempera paint to break up reflections on the glass. An estimated 1 billion birds die every year from flying into windows in the U.S.!
- Keep your pet cat indoors. 2.4 billion birds are estimated to be killed from feral (wild) and pet cats!
- Plant more native plants (less grassy lawn) to create more sustainable habitats for birds
- Avoid pesticides and weed killers that are toxic or lethal to birds
- Buy and drink coffee that has this certification: “Bird Friendly Coffee.” Traditional coffee farming clears forests because these trees require a lot of sun to grow. This threatens critical tree canopies that migrating birds require to build nests.
- “Bird Friendly Coffee” (certified by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center) requires coffee farms to be 100% organic (no pesticides with healthy soil) and 100% shade-grown (versus sun-grown). These coffee farmers are also paid fair wages AND have the highest ethical standards of preserving the critical habitats migratory birds need, and protect water sources for their communities and sequester carbon by managing the forest-like ecosystem.
- Opt to drink water or even tea, over coffee. Drinking tea instead of coffee would save a lot of water. The water footprint of coffee is 8 times the water footprint of tea, since coffee trees require a large amount of water to grow. We can all help make more conscious choices. If you have an option, drink water, then tea, and do your best to limit coffee cravings.
- Reduce plastic and stand up against its use
- Appreciate birds and track their presence and health
https://nationalzoo.si.edu/migratory-birds/seven-simple-actions-help-birds
