Falling Birds

Struggling to protect them, conservationists need to tackle the underlying causes of their decline.

Approximately 48% of extant bird species worldwide are known or suspected to be undergoing population declines, compared with 39% with stable trends, 6% showing increasing populations trends, and 7% with unknown trends...1,481 species (13.5% of 10,994 species) are currently threatened with global extinction — State of the World’s Birds 2022

Plate-billed Mountain-toucan in Ecuador. Its numbers are dropping because of deforestation and wildlife trade. Photo by Dusti Becker.

NO WAY will I begin my comments with typical talk of birds as “canaries in the coal mine,” warning us of Earth’s failing health. I’ll leave that to others. My concern here is squarely about birds with their own special intrinsic value as living beings. If they are indicators of our well-being, then we, as matters currently stand, are indicators of their ill-health.

Two reports on the status of birds have recently been released, one covering the globe and the other North America. Shockingly, almost half of the world’s bird species are declining in number. In 50 years, the U.S. and Canada have seen a net loss of nearly 3 billion breeding birds (30% of 529 species monitored). There’s been a downward trend in U.S. birds in almost every habitat, and a sharp drop in night passage of migrating birds within a single decade. You may have noticed these trends from your own observations of birds.

The huge list of direct causes for the decline of birds is tied to human food production, colonization of lands and waterways, industrial and urban growth, and a wide range of other activities to support and entertain a staggering global population of 8 billion people.

Replacement of native bird habitat in Chile with exotic pine plantations. Elimination of natural habitats is driven by economic and population growth. Photo by Tony Povilitis.

Here’s a summary of what bird conservationists are recommending be done, based on the two reports:

Stepped up protection for the most important bird areas, including protected areas that are currently failing. This jibes with pledges by governments and the U.N. to conserve at least 30% of land, sea, and freshwater ecosystems.

Better governmental and private sector policies “to retain and restore natural habitats in wider landscapes and in the oceans with incentives” for doing so.

Direct conservation interventions, such as invasive species control, use of artificial nesting sites, reduction of pollutants, methods to reduce by-catch of seabird foods, crackdown on overhunting, and captive breeding programs.

Rufous hummingbirds are among 90 bird species of the U.S. that have lost at least half of their numbers over the past 50 years. Photo by Tony Povilitis.

But where are recommendations for addressing the underlying causes of bird declines — overconsumption and overpopulation? While these were acknowledged in the global report, no specific remedies or solutions were proposed:

“Continued growth of human populations and, especially, of per capita rates of consumption lead directly to conversion and degradation of primary natural habitats and consequent loss of biodiversity…The growing footprint of the human population represents the ultimate driver of most threats to avian biodiversity.”

Aside from protecting local habitats and assisting birds through active management and technology, “reversing the wider loss of avian biodiversity and abundance is a considerably greater challenge, necessitating transformative change across all sectors of society.”

While the global report deserves credit for bringing up underlying causes, the U.S. report fails miserably in that regard. It places “all eggs in one basket” with solutions that have worked on a limited basis (science, technology, voluntary partnerships, etc.) but have failed to stem the tide of bird declines. It’s not surprising since the report was produced by a large number of well-established conservation organizations and government agencies that are disinclined to rock the boat and depart from a strict “sustainability” narrative.

Anhinga, Wood Stork, Prothonotary Warbler (left to right). All three appear to be dropping in number despite their relative abundance and broad distribution. Dealing with the root causes of their decline is key to their future well-being. Photos by Tony Povilitis.

There is this irksome tendency among conservationists especially in large organizations to mince words and dance around the issues of overconsumption and overpopulation. Here, for example, is what World Wildlife Fund (WWF) chief scientist Rebecca Shaw recently said about addressing the steep decline in the world’s wildlife:

"We don't have to continue the patterns of development the way we have now. Food production, unsustainable diets and food waste are really driving that habitat destruction. And we have an opportunity to change the way we produce, the — what we eat and how we consume food and what we waste when we consume our food…Little things that we can do every day can change the direction of these population declines."

To which Malcolm Ryen, a contributor to Scale Down on Facebook responds, “It’s incredible that nobody has the courage to simply say the obvious, that more humans need more food and as they become richer they want particularly more meat…Do not two humans eat twice as much as one human? Even WWF is scared to mention the words human population.”

Song by the Thrashmen (1963). “Well, everybody's talking about the bird!” Ok, so let’s stop beating around the bush and deal with the underlying reasons for bird declines.

Here’s what bird conservationists should do to address overconsumption and overpopulation:

1. Be frank and direct about these root causes of bird declines. People listen to conservation scientists and organizations for guidance on what public policies to support. Most people understand the need for, or are at least open to the notion, of limiting growth. And I’m certain that a solid majority are concerned about the plight of birds and other wildlife. A popular movement to challenge endless growth ideology is possible, and could be instigated by bird conservationists.

2. Offer sensible and concrete measures that will benefit birds and people as well. These include: educational and media campaigns on the vital importance of curtailing overconsumption and population growth; promotion of family planning and expanded availability of contraceptives; and education and improved status for women, especially in areas of the world with high fertility rates (which drop accordingly). Bird conservationists would do well to team up with social justice-minded organizations like Population Balance to promote these initiatives.

3. Serve as model world citizens by limiting consumption and family size. Talk is cheap but personal action is golden. Turn off the lights, turn down the heat and air conditioning, defeat consumerism in your household, limit travel to essential business and special occasions, eat healthy and exercise, and promote the immense satisfaction gained by protecting birds and nature as a way of life. You won’t be hypocritical if you start scaling down from where you’re at now, even though it may currently be over the top.

The takeaway: Let’s quickly scale up the art and science of scaling down for the sake of wild birds and all life, including ourselves. There’s no time to waste—the bird is the word.

Evening Grosbeaks have suffered a sharp decline in numbers and distribution. Threats include clearing of hardwood forests, pesticides, and collisions with vehicles and windows. Photo by Tony Povilitis.

Postscript: If you’d like to be directly involved with bird research and conservation, contact Dusti Becker of Life Net Nature about volunteering for a study of montane birds at Reserva Las Tangaras in Ecuador.

A Velvet-purple Coronet on a feeder at our field station in Ecuador. This hummingbird has a fairly limited geographic range and appears to be decreasing in number. Photo by Dusti Becker.