Every spring, nature lovers eagerly welcome the signs that winter is coming to an end. As the days warm, flowers and trees begin to bloom, and the world comes alive with the melodious chirping of birds in search of a new mate.
But where are these enchanting sounds hiding all winter?
For about 200 species of songbirds,
their winters are spent in the tropical climates of Central and South America. While this may sound ideal, it involves one of the most dangerous journeys known in the entire animal kingdom.
This journey is called migration, and for songbirds, it can involve traveling anywhere from a few hundred to nearly 7,000 miles over a period of several weeks to four months.
The birds spend weeks preparing for the intense journey by consuming large amounts of food, sometimes doubling their weight before departure.
During flight, birds can lose about one percent of their body weight in an hour, so packing on the pounds is vital to their survival. More than physical stress, however, migratory birds now face a new source of hardship: landscape change.
Imagine that you are getting ready to travel.
You've loaded the car with everything you need, filled the tank with fuel, had a huge breakfast, and hit the road.
You've done this journey before. You know there are all your favorite rest stops and a little back-alley dinner to eat. Everything is fixed.
But just as your fuel gauge starts to dip into the red zone, you pass what should have been a gas station, except it's closed. "No problem," you think, "the next one can't be too far."
But then that next station is never seen.
Unfortunately, as you continue down your path, the reality of the situation begins to emerge. More and more stations are closed or erased from your map.
Suddenly, your usual journey becomes a desperate search just to find a safe place to rest and refuel for the night. This scenario has become a reality for the majority of migratory songbirds as human land development continues.
Humans are altering important stopover sites that birds have used for generations.
As migrants move across the continent,
they run into a myriad of threats, including pesticide use on rural farms, habitat loss from suburban development, as well as encroachment from light pollution, and Even in cities the structure clashes with tall, reflective glass buildings.
Of the estimated 20 billion individual birds that make up the fall population, only half will return to breed the following spring.
About a billion of these deaths are attributable to building collisions alone. With such staggering annual losses, humans are more at risk from the loss of the birds' beautiful colors and songs, they also play an important role in the ecosystem.
Birds help control pests,
pollinate and distribute seeds throughout the landscape. Without birds, the natural world would be a very different place.
Although birds face ongoing threats from human land development, there are steps we can all take to help. Many countries and local governments have already passed important laws that limit the use of toxic pesticides.
By using more natural, plant-based products, we can maintain our fields and gardens without dangerous side effects.
Also, as our global population continues to grow and people need places to call home, green spaces can offer both habitat for birds as well as a peaceful and natural space for us to enjoy.
Even small changes at home can make a big difference.
By hanging feeders and building birdhouses in outdoor areas, we can provide much-needed food and protection during long migrations.
Dimming lights in suburban and urban environments can also help birds that look for stars to navigate. With our help, these celestial travelers can safely reach their destination, and hopefully return year after year.
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