Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar released a report today that indicates something most of us who love birds already knew: Bird populations in the United States are declining. In his press conference Salazar mentioned that birds are an indication of environmental health "like the canary in the coal mine." Pollution, habitat loss, and global climate change are responsible for placing over 1/3 of North American species in danger of extinction. While some herons, egrets, and other wetland bird populations have increased due to extensive work restoring habit, forest and grassland birds are in steep decline.
"Just as they were when Rachel Carson published 'Silent Spring' nearly 50 years ago, birds today are a bellwether of the health of land, water, and ecosystems," Salazar said. "From shorebirds in New England to warblers in Michigan to songbirds in Hawaii, we are seeing disturbing downward population trends.... We must work together now to ensure we never hear the deafening silence in our forests, fields, and backyards that Rachel Carson warned us about."The report is available on a new website that also includes a link to download a PDF version. I may have more to say once I get a chance to read it over . . .
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