The birds need us now that federal protections have been weakened

The century-old Migratory Bird Treaty Act was weakened in December and is now meeting challenges in Congress. The MBTA outlaws the un-permitted killing or possession of most native birds; it also protects their feathers, eggs and nests. It’s impossible to know how many birds this law has saved, but it has certainly led many businesses to bird-friendly practices. That’s because, until December, even “incidental” bird deaths, including those caused by electric towers and oil spills, were held to account. For example, in the aftermath of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, which killed more than a million birds, BP faced criminal charges and hefty fines. No more: The new interpretation of the law limits its scope to deliberate acts.

Just as it’s impossible to know how beneficial the law has been, so too it’s impossible to know (yet) how detrimental this change will be. We can, however, consider the number of “incidental” bird deaths that have occurred in recent years. The Audubon Society estimates that power lines cause 64 million bird deaths a year, and communications towers another 7 million. Up to a million birds die in oil waste pits, and it’s estimated that wind turbines kill another quarter-million. These are emotionally inconceivable numbers, so let me put them into a relatable context: In the five minutes it will take you to read this article, nearly 700 birds will have been electrocuted, suffocated or pulverized — and that’s using data from when the MBTA was intact. With no legal incentive for businesses to minimize bird fatalities, we can assume they will rise.

In the five minutes it will take you to read this article, nearly 700 birds will have been electrocuted, suffocated or pulverized.