Male Bobolink photo by Walter Ammann
More than half of the birds species that breed in North America and winter in Latin America have declining populations. If we hope to continuing sharing our North American communities with Wood Thrushes, Bobolinks, and other treasured neotropical migratory birds, we must ensure that the birds find food, safety, and shelter in all of the countries where they make stops in along their migration. In 2002, Congress passed the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act to help protect these habitats, but now the bill must be reauthorized—and time is running out on the 110th Congress!
E-mail your members of Congress and urge them to cosponsor the reauthorization of the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (HR 5756/S 3490) to help save our songbirds!
The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act supports conservation programs protecting migratory birds through habitat preservation, education, and research programs. The program is a cooperative, international conservation effort in Canada, the United States, and Latin America. Each year, the number of applicants far exceeds the available funds. At least 29 species of migratory songbirds have experienced population declines of more than 45% since the 1960s. Congress needs to renew and expand this vital and cost-effective conservation program.
We need to act now to save our declining songbirds. The longer we delay, the more irreplaceable habitat will be lost.
Please write to your U.S. Representative and Senators and ask them to support the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act to preserve the habitat of America’s songbirds.
Please take just a few minutes to send a letter to your congressmen and women. It’s a very simple process that goes a long way for conservation.
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I have accompagned a school outing to an educational garden in Paris. A garden to teach to children how to recognize birds (feathers, songs, nests, habitat..)
The teaching team recommended not to give seeds or whatever food not to change the feeding of birds, or to lose their instinct to find it by themselves. (Exception for rough winters, of course).
In our big city, birds are disappearing too. Life conditions are harder and harder!
Catherines last blog post..SKY WATCH FRIDAY
Hi Catherine, Let me give you my opinion on feeding wild birds. There is no problem of birds losing their “instinct” to find food on their own. Birds have been making it on their own for thousands of years. When we feed birds from bird feeders, we are only supplimenting their natural resources.
There are times of the year when this is especially important, most notibly in the fall during bird migration. See my post https://thebirdersreport.com/wild-birds/feeding-wild-birds/bird-migration-in-the-fall-can-provide-new-visitors
So to sum up, feeding wild birds is not detrimental to them and it allows us to be able to watch them and appreciate them from a closer perspective. Fall and winter are the most difficult time for birds because of colder temperatures and fewer daylight hours to forage for food. This is the time of year when they can really use our help to suppliment their diet with healthy, high fat foods like sunflower seed, nyjer seed and suet.
I hope this helps with any concerns you had about feeding wild birds. As habitat decreases because of human intervention we need to look to conservation to help the variety of animals and plants we have remaining on the planet flourish.
Thanks Larry for the clarifications.
I imagine that birds, especially those of the city, need help to find their food during winter time.
I think I’ll provide them that kind of ball of seeds that one hang up.
Catherines last blog post..SKY WATCH FRIDAY