Many birds are experiencing major population declines and need our help more than ever. According to American Bird Conservancy, almost 3 billion – yes billion – adult breeding birds have been lost to the US and Canada. We’ve lost more than 1/4th of our birdlife just since 1970! 90% came from just 12 bird families, including sparrows, warblers, finches, and swallows. Why is this important? Bird declines are indicative of a broader crisis in the natural world including losses of insects, amphibians, and wildlife.

Habitat loss is the main cause of bird declines. Habitat degradation through fragmentation, invasive plants, or poor water quality is another major cause of losses. In this case, habitat doesn’t disappear outright but becomes less able to support birds, such as when habitat is fragmented, altered by invasive plants, or when water quality is compromised. Other significant threats to birds come from cats and other invasive species and exposure to pesticides and other toxins.

Many birds are killed through collisions with glass, industrial communications towers, and wind turbines. Steady burning lights on communication towers attract, confuse, and disorient birds at night and cause nearly 7 million bird collisions annually. A simple solution to reduce bird fatalities is by switching to flashing lights.

But what can you do as an individual to make a difference near term? Plenty! Take Action to Help Bring Birds Back.

Learn more about each of the actions below at American Bird Conservancy has been a 4-star rated charity by Charity Navigator for 10 yrs https://abcbirds.org.