Tropical rain forests are being destroyed at an unprecedented rate
It is estimated that in 100 years one third to one half of all bird
species that are present on the earth today will be extinct.
The main cause is loss of habitat and other damage that humans cause to
the environments of the world. A few of the big issues in bird conservation
are discussed below.
1. Loss of Habitat
Loss of habitat is the number one reason bird species are in decline. Currently tropical rain forests are being destroyed at a rate of 200,000 acres per day. That is an area the size of a football field per minute. Moreover, as human populations continue to expand more habitat is lost as human development engulfs more land area. The picture below depicts tropical rain forest that has been cut down for agriculture.
Tropical rain forests are being destroyed at an unprecedented rate
2. Coffee and Birds - What's the link?
Traditionally coffee was grown in the shade of tropical forest canopies. These shade-grown coffee plantations provided habitat for over 150 species of neotropical bird species such as American Redstarts, Black-throated Green Warblers and Blue-headed Vireos. A number only surpassed by completely undisturbed rain forest habitat. However, in the past 20 years there has been a shift by the major coffee companies (Yes, this includes Starbucks) to produce coffee on plantations with no shade canopy at all. While this manner of cultivation produces substantially increased yields, these cannot be sustained for many years without intensive management (additions of chemical fertilizers and a range of insecticides, herbicides and fungicides). The sun-grown coffee plantations are also subject to premature death in environments possessing a marked dry season, and they need to be renovated (plants replaced) much more frequently than the shade-grown coffee varieties.
In addition, the sun coffee production has resulted in major habitat change for migratory birds in the past two decades. Far fewer migratory birds are found on the sun-produced coffee plantations than on the shade-grown plantations. Studies in Colombia and Mexico found 94-97% fewer bird species in sun grown coffee than in shade grown coffee. This comes as no surprise since over two thirds of the birds are found in the canopy of shade plantations and less than 10% are found foraging in coffee plants.
For more information on shade-grown coffee and the impact on birds please visit
www.shadecoffee.org
For Information on where to buy shade-grown coffee in the Atlanta Metro Area
please click
here.
For information on ordering shade-grown coffee on the web please click
here.
3. Pesticides and Birds
Over five billion pounds of conventional pesticides are used annually for agricultural purposes, forest and rangeland management, and disease control, as well as in homes, on lawns, gardens, golf courses, and other private properties. Twenty percent of this total volume, or 1.2 billion pounds, is used in the United States alone. What does this massive chemical dousing of the earth mean for the health of the environment? Birds provide some of the answers.
Population declines and extensive mortality of birds strongly indicate that the health of the environment suffers due to the prevalence of pesticides. From songbird declines beginning in the 1940's, to population crashes of Peregrine Falcons, Ospreys, and other predatory birds first detected in the 1960's, birds have been unwitting victims of pesticide contamination.
For an excellent article on the effects of pesticides on birds please click
here
Other Bird Conservation Links
Audubon Society Environmental Campaign list
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