A week into his journey, Perry was flying over something incredibly shocking: miles and miles of tree stumps. What was once a thriving forest is now a lifeless desert. Perry was shocked and dismayed, where would he rest? The forest Perry runs into has been clearcut, which is a logging practice in which most or all trees in an area are uniformly cut down. Why is deforestation such a major issue for birds like Perry?
Click on “Read More” below to check out Episode Three and learn about the challenges Perry faces at the third leg of his jounrney and how you can help. Click here to read Episode 2. Click Here to read Episode 4.
Deforestation, the act of clearing a wide area of trees, is a MAJOR problem for all birds, but (like everything else) it seems to have hit migrating birds especially hard. It’s not just the forests that are important to birds though, deforestation is only one small part of the larger issue of habitat loss. Habitat loss occurs when natural habitats are converted to human uses, this also includes agriculture (large-scale crops and ranches), urban development (our suburbs and cities), and infrastructure development (things like roads, dams, and power lines).
The US Fish & Wildlife Service summarizes the issue really well: “birds need essential resources for breeding, feeding, shelter, and survival, including access to food, water, and nesting sites. The size and connectivity of habitat (whether it is large and intact vs. fragmented and isolated) can dictate whether or not the habitat will meet certain birds’ needs. During a bird’s annual life cycle, habitat use may vary. For instance, many birds migrate south to other countries for the winter. They may stop to refuel along the way to enable them to complete their long journey. Others remain in a particular habitat during the entire year, or move only slightly north or south in elevation or longitude as the seasons change. Basically, migrating birds need almost a line of linked habitats from their starting to ending points, habitats that are good enough to stop, eat and drink, and rest temporarily in. These linked habitats are called migration corridors and are really important for multiple types of wildlife. Birds may be able to fly above it all, but that doesn’t mean they have it any easier than migrating herd animals.
What We Can Do
There are quite a few things we can all do to help. As far as deforestation goes, paper is a big part of our lives but there are ways to minimize our use. Go paperless any time you can: receipts, bills, statements, taking school notes, every little bit counts. When you can’t go paperless, look for alternative products made out of bamboo or hemp, or maybe even go without. And remember, always recycle! The real issue is with mass production, with big companies and corporations, but I think it’s important to try in any way you can because individuals can make differences!
It’s important we understand that just because birds can fly over it all, doesn’t mean they aren’t affected by what’s going on down here on the ground. The population of North American birds has dropped by nearly 30% since the 1970s, that is a total of almost 3 billion birds. Gone.
Birds are incredibly important to the balance of our ecosystems: they are essential as pollinators and for seed dispersal, particularly for native plants, and they feed on and help control a variety of critters we consider pests like insects and rodents. Bird studies teach us about climate and the environment, and the birds themselves are key indicators of environmental change. And, most simply, birds are beautiful, and they provide us with music and joy.
The protagonist of this story, Perry, is doing his part as a bird, migrating to his northern breeding location to hopefully pass on his little brown bird genes. It’s all he can do. Perry’s Journey illustrates the important journey of birds like him across the globe, who are doing their parts to help.
Migrating birds are disproportionately affected because they need not just one habitat, but multiple habitats that can serve as stopping points along their journeys. We call these migration corridors and it’s important that they are protected: for the birds’ sakes as well as our own. Birds like Perry can’t control what happens on the ground, or in the water and air, but we can. During Perry’s journey over the couse of ten posts, we will go into some of the main issues facing not just migrating birds, but all birds, and what you can do to help. To support SFBBO’s work to conserve birds and their habitats through science and outreach, please make a donation to our Spring Appeal!
Katrina McCollough is from the Bay Area and is a science outreach intern with SFBBO and the creator of Perry’s Journey. Her interest in birds stemmed from an internship she had at SFBBO’s Coyote Creek Field Station where she got firsthand experience working with the banders and volunteers at the station. That was the first time she ever held or released a bird, and she’s fallen in love with them since, and her favorite bird is the Bushtit. Previously, her interests were directed toward the ground, instead of the sky, hunting for mushrooms or insects. Katrina is currently a college student with a major in Biological Sciences, and she hopes to continue her schooling in mycology and bioremediation.