{"id":150057,"date":"2019-12-23T12:00:40","date_gmt":"2019-12-23T12:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=150057"},"modified":"2019-12-18T11:44:52","modified_gmt":"2019-12-18T11:44:52","slug":"our-vanishing-world-part-5-birds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2019\/12\/our-vanishing-world-part-5-birds\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Vanishing World (Part 5): Birds"},"content":{"rendered":"

Read Parts I<\/a> \u2013 II<\/a> \u2013 III<\/a> – IV<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, it is estimated that the total number of passenger pigeons in the United States was about three billion birds. The bird was immensely abundant, as illustrated by this passage written by the famous ornithologist, naturalist and painter John James Audubon<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u2018I dismounted, seated myself on an eminence, and began to mark with my pencil, making a dot for every flock that passed. In a short time finding the task which I had undertaken impracticable, as the birds poured in countless multitudes, I rose, and counting the dots then put down, found that 163 had been made in twenty-one minutes. I traveled on, and still met more the farther I proceeded. The air was literally filled with Pigeons; the light of noon-day was obscured as by an eclipse, the dung fell in spots, not unlike melting flakes of snow; and the continued buzz of wings had a tendency to lull my senses to repose\u2026 Before sunset I reached Louisville, distance from Hardensburgh fifty-five miles. The Pigeons were still passing in undiminished numbers, and continued to do so for three days in succession.\u2019<\/em> See \u2018Passenger Pigeon\u2019<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So numerous was this bird that, in the nineteenth century, the passenger pigeon was one of the most abundant birds on Earth.<\/p>\n

In 1914 it was extinct.<\/p>\n

While new settlements kept reducing the bird\u2019s habitat, more importantly, it was literally hunted from the sky. Shot for its meat.<\/p>\n

So I have two questions for you. When is the last time that you saw a flock of birds so vast that \u2018the light of noon-day was obscured as by an eclipse\u2019? And when did you last see a flock of just 20 birds?<\/p>\n

Sobering to ponder, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

The origin of birds<\/strong><\/p>\n

Birds evolved from small carnivorous dinosaurs of the Late Jurassic and in the 65 million years since the extinction of the rest of the dinosaurs, this ancestral lineage diversified into the major groups of birds alive today. See \u2018The origin of birds\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Because they did not exist during the first five mass extinction events on Earth, birds have been spared the widespread extinctions suffered by those species that did exist in earlier eras.<\/p>\n

Extinctions of birds in prehistory and history<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nevertheless, the fossil record tells us of the existence of prehistoric birds that became extinct before the Late Quaternary (that is, the past half to one million years) and thus occurred in the absence of significant human interference \u2013 see \u2018List of fossil bird genera\u2019<\/a> \u2013 while various sources tell us of both prehistoric and historic bird species, including flightless megafauna birds, that became extinct between 40,000 BCE and 1500 AD and \u2018was coincident with the expansion of Homo sapiens beyond Africa and Eurasia, and in most cases, anthropogenic factors played a crucial part in their extinction, be it through hunting, introduced predators or habitat alteration\u2019. See \u2018List of Late Quaternary prehistoric bird species\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Of course, there is an even wider range of evidence of bird extinctions since 1500. See \u2018List of recently extinct bird species\u2019<\/a>. Most notably perhaps, given the symbolism it has since acquired, the dodo, a flightless bird of Mauritius, was driven to extinction by 1681 but not before it was carefully drawn. See \u2018Dodo\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How many bird species are there on Earth now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

While one recent estimate \u2013 see \u2018Scaling laws predict global microbial diversity\u2019<\/a> \u2013 indicates that Earth may be the home to one trillion species (the vast bulk of which are microorganisms such as bacteria, archaea and microscopic fungi), of which only an estimated 8.7 million species fall into the usual and simpler categories of plants, birds, animals, fish, amphibians, insects and reptiles, the most recent research conducted by George F. Barrowclough, Joel Cracraft, John Klicka and Robert M. Zink and published in 2016 indicated that there are just 18,043 species of birds worldwide. See \u2018How Many Kinds of Birds Are There and Why Does It Matter?\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

Somewhat controversially \u2013 see \u2018New Study Doubles the World\u2019s Number of Bird Species By Redefining \u201cSpecies\u201d\u2019<\/a> \u2013 this figure is nearly twice as many as previously thought because the study focused on \u2018hidden\u2019 avian diversity: birds that look similar to one another or were thought to interbreed but are actually different species. In any case, whether there are just 10,000 species of birds, 11,000+ as estimated by the recognized international authority BirdLife International \u2013 see \u2018Introducing the IUCN Red List\u2019<\/a> \u2013\u00a0 or even18,000, just like other species of life on Earth, birds are now under siege in a way they have never been before.<\/p>\n

Killing birds in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries<\/strong><\/p>\n

More than 100 years have passed since the passenger pigeon became extinct. However, while one might have hoped that humans had become more adept at nurturing populations of birds, the reality is that we are continuing to drive bird populations to extinction. Moreover, we are now doing this with breathtaking efficiency, slaughtering birds by the millions in ever-shortening timeframes.<\/p>\n

As a result, the fate of the passenger pigeon has been replicated many times over with a vast number of bird species passing through the International Union for Conservation of Nature\u2019s eight preliminary categories \u2013 Not Evaluated, Data Deficient, Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild \u2013 before reaching the ninth and final category: Extinct. See \u2018IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria\u2019<\/a>. At the moment, the \u2018IUCN Red List of Threatened Species\u2019<\/a> identifies 14% of remaining bird species as \u2018threatened with extinction\u2019. Also see \u2018Introducing the IUCN Red List\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Of course, this ongoing assault on birds is well documented in the scientific literature, along with descriptions of long-standing causes as well as those that are more recent.<\/p>\n

In recently published research on the status of birds in North America, Dr. Kenneth V. Rosenberg<\/a> led an international team of scientists from seven institutions in analyzing the population trends of 529 bird species on the North American continent. Their study quantified, for the first time, the total decline in bird populations in the continental U.S. and Canada: a loss of 2.9 billion breeding adult birds, with devastating losses among birds in every biome, since 1970. Moreover, their research revealed that \u2018declines are not restricted to rare and threatened species \u2013 those once considered common and widespread are also diminished\u2019. See \u2018Decline of the North American avifauna\u2019<\/a> and \u2018Vanishing: More Than 1 in 4 Birds Has Disappeared in the Last 50 Years\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Like scholars researching dramatic declines and extinctions of other species, such as insects, Rosenberg and his colleagues stress that their results have \u2018major implications for ecosystem integrity, the conservation of wildlife more broadly, and policies associated with the protection of birds and native ecosystems on which they depend\u2019. While species extinctions \u2018have defined the global biodiversity crisis\u2019, extinction \u2018begins with loss in abundance of individuals that can result in compositional and functional changes of ecosystems\u2019. Hence, the staggering loss of bird abundance \u2018signals an urgent need to address threats to avert future avifaunal collapse and associated loss of ecosystem integrity, function, and services\u2019. See \u2018Decline of the North American avifauna\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In more blunt language \u2018the most comprehensive inventory ever done for North American birds, points to ecosystems in disarray because of habitat loss and other factors that have yet to be pinned down\u2019. See \u2018Billions of North American birds have vanished\u2019<\/a>. And, yet more bluntly: \u2018The scale of loss portrayed in the [Rosenberg et.al.] study is unlike anything recorded in modern natural history.\u2019 See \u2018Vanishing: More Than 1 in 4 Birds Has Disappeared in the Last 50 Years\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Even more importantly, however, pointing out that the study results \u2018transcend the world of birds\u2019, Rosenberg explained that \u2018These bird losses are a strong signal that our human-altered landscapes are losing their ability to support birdlife\u2019 and \u2018that is an indicator of a coming collapse of the overall environment.\u2019 See \u2018Vanishing: More Than 1 in 4 Birds Has Disappeared in the Last 50 Years\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Is North America alone in its decimation of bird populations? Far from it. Other research and data have revealed that \u2018farmland birds in Europe have declined by over 50 per cent collectively in the last 30 or 40 years\u2019 according to Professor Richard Gregory, head of species monitoring and research at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in the UK where, according to Martin Harper, director of conservation at the RSPB, \u2018Our beleaguered farmland birds have declined by 56 per cent between 1970 and 2015 along with declines in other wildlife linked to changes in agricultural practices, including the use of pesticides\u2019.<\/p>\n

And, Professor Romain Julliard, a conservation biologist at France\u2019s National Museum of Natural History, confessed his \u2018shock\u2019 when the latest research revealed that France has lost one-third of its birds in the past 15 years in what is being labeled a \u2018dramatic collapse\u2019 and \u2018ecological catastrophe\u2019 particularly because the decline has accelerated dramatically in recent years. See \u2018\u201cShocking\u201d decline in birds across Europe due to pesticide use, say scientists\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In Germany, bird populations are vanishing with scientists using words like \u2018decimated\u2019 and \u2018collapse\u2019 to describe the enormity of the problem. In a recent study of government data, the German environmental organization Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) estimated \u2018that more than 25 million birds [15% of the country\u2019s total bird population] disappeared from Germany over the past 12 years\u2019. See \u2018\u00dcber zw\u00f6lf Millionen Vogelbrutpaare weniger in Deutschland\u2019<\/a>, \u2018Insect and bird populations declining dramatically in Germany\u2019<\/a> and \u2018\u201cDecimated\u201d: Germany\u2019s birds disappear as insect abundance plummets 76%\u2019<\/a>. But why?<\/p>\n

While habitat destruction and other factors played roles, scientists have also long linked pesticide use to insect decline \u2013 a reasonable assumption given that killing insects is the purpose of pesticides \u2013 and research clearly demonstrates that pesticides are killing more than target insects. For instance, a 2008 study demonstrated low but persistent levels of a common neonicotinoid pesticide in aquatic ecosystems can kill off or reduce the growth of insects (such as mosquitoes) that have an acquatic phase. See \u2018Acute and Chronic Toxicity of Imidacloprid to the Aquatic Invertebrates Chironomus tentans and Hyalella azteca under Constant- and Pulse-Exposure Conditions\u2019<\/a> and \u2018\u201cDecimated\u201d: Germany\u2019s birds disappear as insect abundance plummets 76%\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In essence, the problem is that killing the insects is tantamount to killing the birds that feed on them.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Another recent study came to the same conclusion. The study, conducted in the Lake Constance area in southern Germany, found that the population of six of the most common birds had \u2018declined massively\u2019. According to Hans-Guenther Bauer of the Max Planck Institute for Behavioral Biology: \u2018These are truly shocking figures, especially when you consider that the decline in birds began decades before our first data collection in 1980.\u2019 Why is it happening? According to Bauer, a key reason for the decline is the loss of food. \u2018This confirms what we have long suspected. The death of insects caused by humans has a massive impact on our birds.\u2019 To stem the tide of losses, scientists are calling for a rethink in agricultural and forestry policy including \u2018drastic restrictions on insecticides and herbicides in agriculture, forestry, public areas and private gardens\u2019 and significantly less fertilization. See \u2018Scientists fear \u201ccollapse\u201d of bird populations in Germany\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As is the case elsewhere around the world, birds in Africa also face a wide variety of threats, the most significant of which are habitat fragmentation, degradation and destruction as well as direct impacts including hunting and trapping (mainly for meat and trafficking). See \u2018Multiple threats are driving threatened birds towards extinction in Africa\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But nowhere is safe with the killing of migratory birds in China \u2013 see \u2018<\/a>Market trade is fuelling the killing of migratory birds in Northern China<\/a>\u2019<\/a> \u2013 and various factors adversely impacting penguins in Antarctica \u2013 see \u2018Climate-driven reductions in krill abundance have caused Ad\u00e9lie penguin declines\u2019<\/a> \u2013 just two more of many examples that could be cited.<\/p>\n

Illegal hunting and trapping of birds<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to Birdlife International<\/a>, the organization responsible for monitoring the welfare of birds for the IUCN\u2019s Red List, \u2018The illegal killing and taking of wild birds remains a major threat on a global scale\u2019 with recent examples including the illegal poisoning of vultures in Sub-Saharan Africa, the illegal shooting of raptors in Europe and North America, the illegal trapping of passerines (perching birds) in Asia and the illegal capture for the bird trade in South America.<\/p>\n

For example, based on extensive research over many years in relation to bird killing during migratory flights across the Mediterranean and through Northern and Central Europe and the Caucasus, BirdLife International has compiled a series of reports. These reports document massive illegal killing of birds, often in ways that constitute torture, and totaling in excess of 25 million birds annually, including birds of species that are threatened with extinction. For recent reports, see \u2018The Killing 2.0: A View to a Kill\u2019<\/a>, \u2018Assessing the scope and scale of illegal killing and taking of birds in the Mediterranean, and establishing a basis for systematic monitoring\u2019<\/a> and \u2018Review of illegal killing and taking of birds in Northern and Central Europe and the Caucasus\u2019<\/a>. For a more detailed scientific report on this issue, see \u2018Preliminary assessment of the scope and scale of illegal killing and taking of birds in the Mediterranean\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But if you would simply prefer to be revolted, then watch BirdLife\u2019s one minute video: \u2018<\/a>Help us STOP illegal #birdkilling\u2019<\/a>. Or read a straightforward account of how \u2018innocent\u2019 human behaviours can be deadly for birds, in this case by \u2018vacuuming\u2019 millions of sleeping birds into oblivion each year during olive harvesting at night. See \u2018Millions of Birds Killed by Nighttime Harvesting in Mediterranean\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, if you think the descriptions and video of birdkilling above are bad, you won\u2019t be impressed with the sheer insanity that militarized humans can display: \u2018The Farmagusta area of Cyprus comes out as the worst place for illegally killing birds in the Mediterranean, while the British Territory in Cyprus is also affected, with the Dhekelia UK military base seeing hundreds of thousands of birds killed each autumn. The Ministry of Defence has started a programme to remove illegally planted trees and shrubs in the area, which trappers use for cover and to lure birds in.\u2019 See \u2018Millions of Birds Killed in the Mediterranean\u2019<\/a>. So, instead of ordering soldiers to stop shooting birds while using a combination of education and law enforcement measures to prevent civilians doing so, they removed \u2018illegally planted trees and shrubs\u2019!<\/p>\n

Wild Bird trafficking<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another major killer of birds is the wildlife trade. Birds are often killed as a \u2018byproduct\u2019 of the trade in exotic birds, most of which is illegal, but which is a multi-billion dollar a year industry along with human, weapons, currency and drug trafficking. Equally importantly, however, once traded, birds no longer form part of their original habitat and hence they are lost as contributing and breeding members of that ecosystem. According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora<\/a> (CITES), species listed in Appendix I of the Convention are considered to be threatened with extinction and are not allowed to be traded commercially. There are currently 161 bird species on Appendix I. However, birds included on Appendix II are allowed to enter international trade \u2018under specific controlled circumstances\u2019; there are 1,300 bird species on this appendix. See \u2018Wild Bird Trade and CITES\u2019<\/a> and \u2018CITES Appendices I, II and III\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In theory, state parties are obliged to develop national legislation effectively implementing the obligations of the Convention including setting sustainable quotas for Appendix II species. But I am sure that you can imagine how well this regime works given the incredibly profitable wildlife trafficking industry, in which birds are a crucial component. In fact, \u2018one third (3,337) of living bird species [that is, 2,000 species more than those that are \u201clegal\u201d] have been recorded as traded internationally for the pet trade and other purposes\u2019. Of these species, 266 (that is, 8% of those internationally traded) are considered globally threatened. See \u2018The Red List Index for internationally traded bird species shows their deterioration in status\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And if the domestic trade in birds is taken into account as well, then \u2018Nearly 4,000 bird species involving several million individuals annually are subject to domestic or international trade with finches, weavers, parrots and raptors being some of the most heavily affected groups.\u2019 See \u2018Wild Bird Trade and CITES\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For a candid account of bird trafficking at its origin which describes the fate of macaw chicks being stolen from their forest nests in Ecuador, see \u2018Wildlife Trafficking\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Seabirds<\/strong><\/p>\n

In relation to seabirds, one recent study found that the global population of these birds declined by 70% between 1950 and 2010 as a result of a multiplicity of threats. These threats included \u2018entanglement in fishing gear, overfishing of food sources, climate change, pollution, disturbance, direct exploitation, development, energy production, and introduced species (predators such as rats and cats introduced to breeding islands that were historically free of land-based predators)\u2019. See \u2018Population Trend of the World\u2019s Monitored Seabirds, 1950-2010\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Another study concluded just recently, was \u2018the first objective quantitative assessment of the threats to all 359 species of seabirds\u2019 and identified the main threats to their survival while outlining priority actions for their conservation. Using the standardized \u2018Threats Classification Scheme\u2019 developed for the IUCN Red List to objectively assess threats to each species, a team of ten scientists identified the top three threats to seabirds \u2013 in terms of number of species affected and average impact \u2013 to be as follows: invasive alien species (particularly rats and cats) which affected 165 species across all of the most threatened groups; bycatch in fisheries which \u2018only\u2019 affected 100 species but with the greatest average impact; and the climate catastrophe which affected 96 species. \u2018Overfishing, hunting\/trapping and disturbance were also identified as major threats to seabirds.\u2019 The study emphasized that 70% of seabirds, especially those that are globally threatened, face multiple threats. For the three most threatened groups of seabirds \u2013 albatrosses, petrels and penguins \u2013 it is essential to tackle both terrestrial and marine threats to reverse declines. See \u2018Threats to seabirds: A global assessment\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In addition, however, another problem that has been getting insufficient attention is the result of the expanding impacts of the rapidly increasing levels of ocean acidification, ocean warming, ocean carbon flows and ocean plastics. Taken in isolation each of these changes clearly has negative consequences for the ocean. All these shifts taken together, however, result in a rapid and serious decline in ocean health and this, in turn, adversely impacts all species dependent on the ocean, including seabirds. Moreover, on top of these problems is the issue of oxygen availability given that oxygen in the air or water is of paramount importance to most living organisms. As the recently released report \u2018Ocean deoxygenation: Everyone\u2019s problem. Causes, impacts, consequences and solutions\u2019<\/a> describes in some detail, oxygen levels are currently declining across the ocean.<\/p>\n

But to graphically illustrate just one of the threats to seabirds, consider the impact of our chronic overfishing which is depleting the oceans of fish. In November 2019, thousands of short-tailed shearwater birds migrating from Alaska were washed up dead on Sydney\u2019s iconic beaches in Australia. Moreover, thousands more shearwaters died out at sea in clear confirmation of the incredible fish shortages in the Pacific Ocean. After spending the summer in Alaska, the shearwaters were migrating back to southern Australia to breed: a 14,000km trip over the Pacific that requires the birds to be at full strength.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, vast numbers died due to lack of food because the krill and other fish they feed on have vanished. But if you think the problem only occurred along or at the end of their journey, in fact there had been \u2018a series of catastrophic die-offs\u2019 before and shortly after the birds departed to head south with thousands of shearwaters (along with puffins, murres and auklets too) lying dead from starvation on the beaches of Alaska and on Russia\u2019s Chukotka Peninsula back in mid-year as well. The overall \u2018large die-off\u2019 pattern has been repeating since 2015 with little knowledge of the full extent of the crisis because millions of the birds \u2018die at sea\u2019. See \u2018Fish all gone!… Millions of small sea birds died since 2015\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tragically though, as touched on above, an ocean emptied of fish is not the only hazard that seabirds have no choice but to attempt to navigate. An ocean full of plastic \u2013 with concentrations up to 580,000 pieces per square kilometer \u2013 is also deceiving many seabirds into attempting to eat pieces of plastic and this only complicates efforts by seabirds to get adequate nutrition. See \u2018Threat of plastic pollution to seabirds is global, pervasive, and increasing\u2019<\/a> and \u2018Nearly Every Seabird on Earth Is Eating Plastic\u2019<\/a>. This is graphically illustrated in this photo of a dead albatross \u2013 see \u2018Laysan Albatrosses\u2019 Plastic Problem\u2019<\/a> \u2013 although, tragically, plastic is not the only non-food item that is consumed by and is killing these majestic birds, with an abandoned US military base on Midway Atoll \u2013 where 65% of the global albatross population breeds \u2013 playing a vital role too. See \u2018Study shows lead-based paint is poisoning albatross chicks at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But why do seabirds eat plastic instead of correctly identifying food? Well, one recent research project provided \u2018the first evidence that, in addition to looking like food, plastic debris may also confuse seabirds that hunt by smell\u2019. See \u2018Marine plastic debris emits a keystone infochemical for olfactory foraging seabirds\u2019<\/a> and \u2018The oceans are full of plastic, but why do seabirds eat it?\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

Other threats to birds<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another threat faced by birds in the nuclear age is the outcome of the radioactive contamination of the Earth in many places. For example, while there are \u2018severe reductions in species richness and density\u2019 in the regions surrounding the sites of the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear catastrophes, surviving birds display a wide range of deformities and dysfunctionalities, notably including impaired brain development as reflected by head volume with its negative implications for cognitive ability and hence viability. See \u2018<\/a>Chernobyl Birds Have Smaller Brains\u2019<\/a> and \u2018Bird populations near Fukushima are more diminished than expected\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Yet another threat to birds is posed by the deployment of 5G. \u2018Typical effects of radiation from cellular communication antennas on resident, breeding, and migratory birds [include] site abandonment, feather deformation, locomotion problems, weight loss, weakness, reduced survivorship and death.\u2019 Moreover, it can \u2018blot out a bird\u2019s perception of the earth\u2019s field, causing the bird to fly in the wrong direction, and also disrupt a bird\u2019s internal clock based on the sun\u2019s changing position\u2019. See \u20185G to Kill the Birds, Bees and Your Loved Ones?\u2019<\/a> and \u2018Western Insanity and 5G Electromagnetic Radiation\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Finally, without elaboration, vast numbers of birds are also killed each year by warfare and other military activities \u2013 see, for example, \u2018The impact of the 1991 Gulf War oil spill on bird populations in the northern Arabian Gulf – a review\u2019<\/a> \u2013 by industrial activity and accidents \u2013 see, for example, \u2018Effects of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill on Birds: Comparisons of Pre- and Post-spill Surveys in Prince William Sound, Alaska\u2019<\/a> \u2013 by road and air traffic, the spread of certain avian diseases to previously unaffected species \u2013 see \u2018Avian diseases are spreading to impact hitherto unaffected populations\u2019<\/a> \u2013 wind turbines, cats, windows and communication towers, with 7 million birds losing their lives each year in the United States alone to the \u2018web-like traps of wire and metal\u2019 used for communication. See \u2018Communication Towers Are Death Traps for Threatened Bird Species\u2019<\/a>. Other birds are now being killed in response to conflict generated between birds. See \u2018Climate Change Leading to Fatal Bird Conflicts\u2019<\/a>. And, of course, \u2018domesticated\u2019 birds such as chickens and turkeys are farmed and consumed in prodigiously huge quantities, including for Christmas.<\/p>\n

Sadly, too, millions of birds of many species are imprisoned in cages as \u2018pets\u2019 denied the freedom that all humans crave for themselves.<\/p>\n

So, in essence, if you were a bird, here is a survival strategy that should work. Only live in a habitat that will not be impacted, in any way, by human beings and their activities. That is, don\u2019t live on Earth.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Saving the birds<\/strong><\/p>\n

Given the vast range of threats posed to birdlife by humans \u2013 see a straightforward summary of \u2018The greatest threats facing Important Bird & Biodiversity Areas today\u2019<\/a> which doesn\u2019t mention all threats and those that are emerging \u2013 it is clearly going to take a monumental effort on many fronts to contain the killing of birds and avert the ongoing extinction of bird species on Earth.<\/p>\n

And, unless you are naive enough to believe that elite-controlled governments or international organizations and processes are going to do something that is actually effective \u2013 see \u2018The Global Elite is Insane Revisited\u2019<\/a> \u2013 then it is up to us to make the difference. Of course, we can do a few things that are specific to saving birds but the bulk of what must happen is really about saving the biosphere (which includes birds) generally. The biosphere is, after all, one deeply-interconnected living entity.<\/p>\n

This is why, according to some biologists, laws that focus on the protection of rare species miss the big picture. Joel Cracraft,\u00a0 for example, argues that \u2018We\u2019re losing the battle because we\u2019re fighting over single endangered species\u2019. Species protection tends to focus on charismatic species \u2013 beautiful birds and mammals \u2013 and doesn\u2019t value rare ecosystems or collections of species. See \u2018New Study Doubles the World\u2019s Number of Bird Species By Redefining \u201cSpecies\u201d\u2019<\/a>. Nor does it value the biosphere as a whole.<\/p>\n

Still, some superlative efforts have been made on behalf of birds. For example, you can read some inspirational success stories by BirdLife International: \u201810 vital bird habitats saved through conservation action\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And for one man\u2019s initiative 120 years ago that is having ongoing impact, see \u2018How one man changed a Christmas tradition forever \u2013 to save birds\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So you can, of course, support the efforts of Birdlife International and the local, national and other organizations like it. See \u2018<\/a>Welcome to BirdLife\u2019s Globally Threatened Bird Forums\u2019<\/a> and, for example, \u2018Stop Wildlife Trafficking\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Separately from initiatives that focus specifically on birds, if you wish to fight powerfully to save Earth\u2019s biosphere consider joining those participating in \u2018<\/a>The Flame Tree Project to Save Life on Earth<\/a>\u2019<\/a> which outlines a simple program to systematically reduce your consumption and increase your local self-reliance over a period of years. Among many other beneficial environmental outcomes, this will reduce the ongoing destruction of bird habitat to produce the products we all consume.<\/p>\n

But given the fear-driven violent parenting and education models that drive all violence in our world and which, among a multitude of other adverse outcomes, generates the addiction of most people in industrialized countries to the over-consumption that is destroying Earth\u2019s biosphere \u2013 see \u2018Love Denied: The Psychology of Materialism, Violence and War\u2019<\/a> \u2013 then consider addressing this directly starting with yourself \u2013 see \u2018Putting Feelings First\u2019<\/a> \u2013 and by reviewing your relationship with children. See \u2018My <\/a>Promise to Children\u2019<\/a> and \u2018Nisteling: The Art of Deep Listening\u2019<\/a>. For fuller explanations, see \u2018<\/a>Why Violence?\u2019<\/a> and \u2018<\/a>Fearless Psychology and Fearful Psychology: Principles and Practice<\/a>\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you wish to campaign strategically to defend birds against particular threats, such as the climate catastrophe, military violence or the deployment of 5G, for example, consider joining those campaigning to halt these and other threats as well. See Nonviolent Campaign Strategy<\/a> which already includes a comprehensive list of strategic goals necessary to achieve these outcomes in two key contexts in \u2018Strategic Aims\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But, whatever you do, don\u2019t fall into the trap of fearfully begging the elite (and its agents and their processes) to act on your behalf as, for example, the antiwar and climate movements are doing (with climate \u2018activists\u2019 marginalized at the latest COP25 gathering in Madrid). If we do not focus our efforts on engaging all people who are powerful enough to do so to respond strategically, then we will fail. And our failure will not only be the result of the elite refusing to take the requisite action despite your entreaties but also because the elite, as a group, is powerless to make sufficient difference: only a massive response from the wider population can produce the outcome we now need. For explanations of this, see \u2018Why Activists Fail\u2019<\/a>, \u2018The Global Climate Movement is Failing: Why?\u2019<\/a> and \u2018The War to End War 100 Years On: An Evaluation and Reorientation of our Resistance to War\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Moreover, in those cases where corrupt or even electorally unresponsive governments are leading the destruction of the biosphere \u2013 by supporting, sponsoring and\/or engaging in environmentally destructive practices \u2013 it might be necessary to remove these governments as part of the effort. See Nonviolent Defense\/Liberation Strategy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You might also consider joining the global network of people resisting violence in all contexts, including against the biosphere, by signing the online pledge of \u2018<\/a>The People<\/a>\u2019<\/a>s Charter to Create a Nonviolent World<\/a>\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Or, if none of the above options appeal or they seem too complicated, consider committing to:<\/p>\n

The Earth Pledge<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Out of love for the Earth and all of its creatures, and my respect for their needs, from this day onwards I pledge that:<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    \n
  1. I will listen deeply to children<\/em><\/strong> (see explanation above)<\/em><\/li>\n
  2. I will not travel by plane<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n
  3. I will not travel by car<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n
  4. I will not eat meat and fish<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n
  5. I will only eat organically\/biodynamically grown food<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n
  6. I will minimize the amount of fresh water I use, including by minimizing my ownership and use of electronic devices<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n
  7. I will not buy rainforest timber<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n
  8. I will not buy or use single-use plastic, such as bags, bottles, containers, cups and straws<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n
  9. I will not use banks, superannuation (pension) funds or insurance companies that provide any service to corporations involved in fossil fuels, nuclear power and\/or weapons<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n
  10. I will not accept employment from, or invest in, any organization that supports or participates in the exploitation of fellow human beings or profits from killing and\/or destruction of the biosphere<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n
  11. I will not get news from the corporate media (mainstream newspapers, television, radio, Google, Facebook, Twitter\u2026)<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n
  12. I will make the effort to learn a skill, such as food gardening or sewing, that makes me more self-reliant<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n
  13. I will gently encourage my family and friends to consider signing this pledge.<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Do all these options sound unpalatable? Prefer something requiring less commitment? You can, if you like, do as most sources suggest: nothing (or its many tokenistic equivalents). I admit that the options I offer are for those powerful enough to comprehend and act on the truth. Why? Because there is so little time left and I have no interest in deceiving people or treating them as unintelligent and powerless. See \u2018Human Extinction by 2026? A Last Ditch Strategy to Fight for Human Survival\u2019<\/a> and \u2018Doomsday by 2021?\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

    Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Birds are being killed with ruthless efficiency by human beings and their activities all over the world. Obviously, this is an unmitigated tragedy for Earth\u2019s birds, the biosphere as a whole and those humans who love life generally. But what are the practical implications of this ongoing bird killing for us?<\/p>\n

    Well just as the death of one canary in a coal mine warned miners about their dangerous environment, the mass death of birds is yet another warning that we are destroying the planetary biosphere.<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    However, in this case, we are not treating the canary\u2019s death as a warning and, even if we were, it does not mean that we can escape because there is nowhere else to go.<\/p>\n

    In short, if we don\u2019t save the birds, we won\u2019t save ourselves.<\/p>\n

    _______________________________________________<\/em><\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/em>Robert Burrowes, Ph.D. is a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace Development Environment<\/a> and has a lifetime commitment to understanding and ending human violence. He has done extensive research since 1966 in an effort to understand why human beings are violent and has been a nonviolent activist since 1981. He is the author of <\/em>Why Violence?<\/a> Websites: (Charter<\/a>)\u00a0 (Flame Tree Project<\/a>)\u00a0 (Songs of Nonviolence<\/a>) (<\/em>Nonviolent Campaign Strategy<\/em><\/a>) (Nonviolent Defense\/Liberation Strategy<\/em><\/a>) (<\/em>Robert J. Burrowes<\/a><\/em>) (<\/em>Feelings First<\/em><\/a>)\u00a0Email: flametree@riseup.net<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    In the nineteenth century, it is estimated that the total number of passenger pigeons in the United States was about three billion birds; it was one of the most abundant birds on Earth. In 1914 it was extinct. \u2026 This ongoing assault on birds is well documented in the scientific literature, along with descriptions of long-standing causes as well as those that are more recent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":49131,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[1355,686,794,331,401,1175,993,1200],"class_list":["post-150057","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-transcend-members","tag-anthropocene","tag-climate-change","tag-deforestation","tag-development","tag-environment","tag-extinction","tag-global-warming","tag-natures-rights"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150057","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150057"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150057\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150057"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150057"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150057"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}