A turkey vulture. (submitted photo/Gary Houston)

By Ronald Quaroni

Fowl Numbers

North American bird population drops by three billion

Jan 22, 2020 | 1:07 PM

The last 50 years have taken their toll on North American bird populations.

“We have lost a third of our bird population,” Conservation Director with Nature Saskatchewan, Lorne Scott told paNOW.

Scott explained over the last half century habitat loss, collisions with windows, predation from wild and domestic cats as well as other factors have taken population numbers from 10 billion to 7 billion. Of the 29 per cent general decline, grassland species were especially hard hit with a 53 per cent decrease.

“We just don’t know the total value but we do know birds perform a very important role,” he noted. “Birds like swallows, which are in serious trouble, they consume a lot of flying insects.”

In a media release, Nature Saskatchewan said bird species also aid in seed dispersal and pollination. Some species like the turkey vulture even play a role in keeping the environment clean.

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Scott said landowners can play a big role in helping species recover by preserving natural landscape.

“Habitat is the key component of why we are losing birds,” he stated.

Getting more people, especially kids, educated and interested in birds is also a solution according to Scott.

“Taking them on hikes around the riverbanks or around P.A. park and other urban centres is very important in educating and creating an interest in our children,” he said.

Homeowner can also take some simple steps; feeding birds, setting up nesting boxes, install film visible to birds on windows and gardening with native plants.

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Ron.quaroni@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @RonaldQuaroni