The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Loss of birds could bring ‘silent spring’
Three billion. 3,000,000,000. That’s an extremely large number. A number larger than Connecticut’s budget woes, more than twice the population of China, and almost 10 times larger than the entire population of the United States. Three billion is also the estimated decline in the North American bird population since the 1970s — a 30 percent decline in the population. It appears that the “fable for tomorrow” that the acclaimed nature writer Rachel Carson mentioned in her book “Silent Spring” is coming true. However, this time it is due to myriad other silent killers.
An article published last week in one of the most highly respected scientific journals, Science, chronicles the decline of many North American bird species. By analyzing several bird surveys and meteorological radar systems, Dr. Ken Rosenberg and colleagues observed massive declines in total bird populations. They reported upwards of 5 percent yearly declines in bird populations in several locations, Connecticut included.
These declines include some of our favorite backyard avian friends; the american sparrow, finches and blackbirds. Don’t let the density of these birds around your birdfeeder fool you into thinking that these declines in population are nothing to be feared. Early twentieth century North Americans similarly thought that the passenger pigeon, the most numerous bird on the planet at the time, was so ubiquitous that they could hunt it for sport with no ramifications. Tragically, they drove it to extinction at an alarmingly fast rate. It is imperative that we heed the canary in the mine and take this report on bird population declines seriously.
The decline in bird populations is alarming in its own right. However, it becomes much scarier when you consider the fact that the population declines observed in birds are likely mirrored in other animals. Scientists have an easier time tracking and recording bird populations than many other animals such as lizards, insects or aquatic species. All of these animals are equally impacted by the same ecosystemstressing factors as birds, including habitat destruction, pesticides and other environmental chemicals, and climate change.
For years, scientists have been warning that we may be in the midst of a sixth massextinction event — sometimes referred to as the Anthropocene Extinction. Our current geological epoch, the Anthropocene, is one where humans have immeasurably shaped our environment, and in many cases likely irrevocably. We have emitted large amounts of pollution, overexploited natural resources and are forcing climate change. These factors are combing to cause what could be the next major mass extinction event.
Despite the dangerous waters that lay ahead, there is hope that we may be able to enact meaningful change and secure a safe environment and climate for future generations. Earlier this month, New Haven joined over 900 municipalities from 18 countries in declaring a Climate Emergency. Actions like these illuminate the dangerous situation that we find ourselves in and provide the means by which we can protect the environment.
All actions, even seemingly small ones like New Haven’s, protect the natural world. Further, individuals can do their part to help secure bird populations by encouraging legislation from politicians and limiting home pesticide use. These conservation efforts do in fact work; wetland conservation has enabled the population growth of wetland birds while all other habitats saw bird population declines, noted Dr. Ken Rosenberg and colleagues.
I leave you with this: when the miners of antiquity saw the canary die, what did they do? And what will we do now that our “canary” has died? Will Rachel Carson’s predictions be right? Will we have a silent spring?