Birds suffer from the loss of habitats and other factors that affect their migration and reproduction patterns, leading to a decline in their numbers and even driving some to extinction. In order to protect and reduce the death of birds, there are various actions people can take to conserve birds and to at least give them a chance to survive.
The most appropriate and necessary actions can solve this problem on two fronts. Foremost is protecting the birds and their numbers and secondly, is protecting their habitats. With enough people and diligence of implementation, we might even be able to reverse the current dwindling population of birds and get those that are endangered off the list. Here are the top 25 simple and amazing ways to conserve and protect birds.
1. Mark windows – Birds tend to hit windows because they cannot see them as an obstruction. This usually leads to death after birds accidentally crash on the windows. Birds may also encounter life ending injuries such as broken wings and necks. Marking windows is the solution. This is best served by using decals and frosted glass, allowing the birds to avoid the glass.
2. Keep the pets indoors – Cats and other house pets are fond of hunting smaller animals, especially birds. This harms the population of the birds, which can be devastating in the case of endangered species. The problem can be contained by ensuring that the pets remain indoors and are unable to attack the birds.
3. Use natural pest control – Many bird species predate on smaller rodents and animals to sustain themselves. These rodents feed off of grain and cereals that they find in the open. Some birds feed of the same grains as well. However, these food sources for birds can be tampered with by using chemicals for pest control.
Chemical pesticides such as Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), while very effective as pesticides, do not organically decompose quickly and can be passed from pest to bird. This means that any birds that feed off of pests or seeds that have come into contact with this chemical slowly accumulate fatal amounts of the chemical within their blood streams. Natural pest control measures ensure that this does not happen.
4. Vote against use of chemical pesticides – Due to the very reasons stated above, it is very important that individuals convince their lawmakers to stop farmers from using the chemicals by making up legislation that can be enforced. This ensures that the chemicals are not imported into nations and at the same time dissuade individuals from using them. It will keep birds free from harm.
5. Do not purchase birds illegally – The endangered bird species’ are numerous and they all attract high prices on the black market due to their rarity. By purchasing these birds as pets, one bolsters the market and provides incentive for poachers to continue to decimate the already fragile populations. By not participating in the market, the poachers are starved of profits and the incentive to poach the birds is lost.
6. Reduce your carbon footprint (global warming increases pest numbers that kill birds such as ticks) – Parasites are part of the reason why birds suffer and their dwindling numbers. Attacks by ticks and mites can lead to weakened bird populations. This is mostly due to a rise in the number of parasites in the wild. Their increase can be traced to the rising global temperatures that make for shorter winters with higher average temperatures. This means that more insects survive the winter cycle each season. To combat this, we should reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
7. Join conservation groups – Conservation groups actively participate in conservation attempts in order to protect endangered species. These groups are especially beneficial as they are able to pull in larger amounts of funds from donors. They also practice better coordination tactics which has more of an impact on bird conservation efforts.
8. Place trash in appropriate bins – Birds tend to be curious about the garbage that people produce. Dumping things in the open usually leads to birds attempting to eat whatever has been dumped. This includes materials such as paper and shiny plastic beads. This could end up harming the birds or causing diseases and infections. It also places the birds at risk of being attacked by other animals as they try to pick out food. Putting trash in appropriate places lessens chances of these problems.
9. Learn and obey the hunting laws of your region – Hunting laws work towards maintaining a balance between hunting and protection of animal species. Hunting without having an idea what species the government is keen on protecting could mean that you are damaging a program in place to replenish bird populations. One should understand what they can hunt for when acquiring their permit to avoid such scenarios.
10. Slow down on the road – A number of bird deaths occur when they run into vehicles while flying low over tarmac. While it is hard to avoid, there is a chance that more birds could be saved if more individuals slowed down around country regions, especially if flocks of birds had been sighted close by.
11. Avoid plastic products – Many birds mistake the plastic waste that we leave about for food and try to consume it. This is bad for them as the materials are indigestible and can cause digestion complications to the birds and even death. This places the responsibility of protecting the birds on human beings. By disposing waste properly in covered bins and avoiding plastics, there is less likely a chance that this will lead to death of birds.
12. Share your love of birds – By sharing your love of birds, the conservationist will increase awareness on the plight of endangered species of birds. Sharing interests also increases the chances that there will be increased donations and participation by the general public. This helps create a bigger impact on the conservation effort.
13. Do not attempt to handle fledglings – Fledglings are birds that have not yet left the nest. They are very sensitive to things such as temperature and the parent birds are usually very protective over them. The problem with handling these birds is that it can harm the birds by introducing bacteria from the human and may also cause physical harm.
14. Plant native species – Native species of plants provide a conducive environment for endangered species to breed and increase in population. This is particularly important because those particular birds are adapted to the indigenous plant types that grow in their areas. The plants also host other types of animals and insects which form important ecosystems and increase the biodiversity of the region.
15. Create small bird habitats – Most birds have lost their habitat due to human expansion into what was formerly forest land used by birds for nesting. Individuals can put up structures that act as small habitats within their compounds. These may include bird feeders and baths which act to attract endangered species and serve to provide them with food, water and shelter. This increases the population of the species in the region and provides incentive for more birds to settle in order to breed with the other birds in the region.
16. Change farming techniques – Modern farming techniques have been very destructive to the endangered birds as the use of chemicals and the destruction of forest land destroy both food and habitat for the birds. Changing farming techniques to use less chemical pesticides and opting for organic farming as opposed to the purely commercial option will increase the food options for the birds as well as provide more regions for habitat creation.
17. Buy organically grown produce – Organic farming techniques do not use industrial chemical products to fertilize the crop or combat harmful pests. This means that there is little chemical contamination of the region which increases insect numbers and ensures that fruit and grain does not have adverse effects on birds. By supporting organic farmers by buying organic produce, we support the farming choice that provides more conducive environment for the survival of birds.
18. Recycle trash – As previously stated, human trash not only harm the birds, but also degrades their habitat. Plastic and glass items can harm birds by choking or injuring them thereby causing infections or trapping them which hinder their movement. The best solution is to ensure that all trash is recycled to protect the birds from getting harmed.
19. Raise awareness on proper waste management (as it concerns water ways) – Aquatic birds are especially at risk when it comes to waste management, especially considering oil pollution, sewage and industrial waste. The waste dumped in the water, sometimes without treatment, destroys food sources for the birds such as fish and also reduces marine life diversity.
There is also the possibility that the waste increase the nutrient levels for microbes in the water, which leads to growth of algal blooms. Algal blooms are toxic and can lead to the death of thousands of fish therefore poisoning the birds if they happen to consume the dead or poisoned fish.
20. Reduce interaction with birds – Birds are very sensitive to human action. Even when they live in close proximity to populations of humans, attempts to approach nests force the birds to fly away. For some birds, this means expending a lot of energy to leave the nest and perch on other trees. This constant stress and use of physical strength to move could lead to overworking the bird. A lifestyle of constant movement caused by human interference also makes it difficult for the birds to find food which can starve the young ones.
21. Protect existing habitats – One of the best options is to protect the existing habitats for endangered species by exempting them from human commercial activities such as logging and deforestation. This could be done by proposing to the government and local communities to protect endangered species habitats.
22. Visit national parks – Visiting specially designated habitats provides awareness to the plight of endangered species and provides the government with funds from entrance fees that go into protection of the national parks. This ensures that the species habitats remain protected therefore protecting the birds nesting in the area.
23. Make donations and volunteer at conservation parks – Another way to protect endangered species is to get involved in the conservation projects by volunteering services or making cash donations. Your time can also be used for non-specialized tasks such as helping in trash collection while the money goes into the funds required to maintain the parks. This helps secure the habitats that provide homes to thousands of birds.
24. Limit energy usage – By reducing energy use, a person can help in conserving birds. Reducing the amount of energy reduces carbon emissions in turn reducing the occurrence of extreme weather events that can wipe critical ecosystems necessary for bird’s survival.
25. Enjoy nature – The final action that goes towards protecting endangered species of birds is enjoying nature. Being active in bird watching and nature walks ensures that there is constant appreciation for birds’ beauty. This sort of appreciation can be shared among people and continue to help raise awareness of the birds’ plight thus gather help in any form that would go towards protecting all the endangered birds in your region.
