[animals] These tiny creatures are losing the battle to survive. This is what we can do to save them

[Draeno]

 

(CNN) -- The rufous hummingbird is magical. The male's iridescent throat shines brighter than a shiny copper penny and, like most hummingbirds, it buzzes through the air curiously, hovering right in front of onlooking humans. The first time Mike Parr, president of the American Bird Conservancy, saw one, it was feeding on the blossoms of a lemon tree in California.

“It was just one of those otherworldly places. It was almost like a religious experience,” Parr says with awe and reverence.

“When they just turn their heads and suddenly their throat catches the light, it lights up with this incredible color. It's just magical, really. It just lights up like a beacon.”

They are one of the smallest hummingbirds at just over 7cm long, but one of the most feisty.

They fly a staggering 6,200 km (one-way) from Alaska, where they live in the summer, to Mexico, one of the longest migratory journeys of any bird in the world compared to their body size, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. .

Californians enjoy them in the spring and Rocky Mountain residents in the fall, as birds feed on flower nectar and small insects in high mountain meadows, backyard flowers, and bird feeders. hummingbirds

But the Rufous Hummingbird, like hundreds of other species, is on the brink of the abyss.

Birds are the “canary in a coal mine”
The rufous hummingbird has lost two-thirds of its po[CENSORED]tion since 1970, according to the 2022 State of the Birds report.

These tiny creatures are one of 70 bird species on the "Tipping Point" list that will lose another fifty percent of their po[CENSORED]tions in the same time period if conservation does not improve. That list includes flying beauties like the Golden-winged Warbler with its stunning yellow cap and black mask.

The reasons, scientists say, are multiple: habitat loss due to climate change and human development, glass collisions, invasive species (domestic cats) and pesticides; many of the same reasons that all wildlife globally has plummeted.

So why should we care that birds are disappearing? One reason, Parr says, is that their losses are a harbinger of what humans face, too.

"Birds are the canary in the coal mine," says Parr. "We are seeing evidence of ecological collapse in North America as evidenced by the loss of birds."

Birds depend on nature just like we do: for the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, Parr says. As they lose their habitat, from large masses of native forest to open grasslands, wetlands and marshes, we are losing those resources too.

Earth Day: when is it, why was it founded and since when is it commemorated?
"So as things start to unravel, if biodiversity and climate change both unravel, the natural world around us that we depend so much on may not be as reliable as we'd like it to be."

A second reason: birds are essential to our ecosystem. They pollinate flowers and disperse seeds. They feed on insects and rodents keeping those po[CENSORED]tions in check.

Thirdly, they are simply beautiful: they fill our sky with birdsong, although a little less each year.

“We don't want to see the birds disappear. So instead of waiting until the last second, from a conservation standpoint, you just don't want to see the bird get there in the first place,” says Parr.

"Unfortunately, wildlife doesn't have a voice of its own."

Things you can do to help save birds from extinction
Problem: glass collisions

Solution: bird-friendly glass or decals

Nearly a billion birds are killed each year in the United States due to collisions with glass. Birds see a reflection of the sky and trees and think it is a habitat they can fly to. Birds hit not only high-rise office buildings, but also the windows of houses. In fact, almost half of all collisions occur on the windows of houses according to the American Bird Conservancy. Collisions are more frequent during spring and especially fall migration, but occur throughout the year.

The good news is that there are ways to prevent these deaths. You can add clear peel or peel decals to your windows. Most reflect ultraviolet light, which we can't see but really stands out to most birds. You don't have to put them on all your windows, says Parr. "You can usually identify the windows that are the most problematic." The American Bird Conservancy has laboratories that have tested the products and found them safe for birds.

Also, if you are building a new home or installing windows, you can install bird-proof glass. Many birding groups are working nationally to promote bird-friendly building designs and "blackout" nights during periods of high migration.

Problem: pesticides/poor grass in habitat

Solutions: Organic garden, planting of native vegetation, reserve of wild areas

Many birds eat insects, but the vast decline in insect po[CENSORED]tions around the world makes food more scarce. Parr says that instead of pesticides and herbicides, let the birds do their job eating bugs and grass seeds in your yard.

"Birds are very good pesticides," says Parr. “They eat a lot of insects. Encourage the birds."

On a larger scale, conservation groups are fighting the use of neonicotinoids, or "neonics," a pesticide used not only on crops, but turned into seeds and used on some garden plants.

 

https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2023/04/22/estas-diminutas-criaturas-estan-perdiendo-la-batalla-por-sobrevivir-esto-es-lo-que-podemos-hacer-para-salvarlos-trax/