Audubon Assembly Notes: Not on My Watch

Audubon Assembly Notes: Not on My Watch

By Betty McKeown

At the Audubon Assembly, I attended the Friday afternoon keynote talk Dr. Peter Stangel regarding The Future of Birds. In this lecture, he touched on some interesting facts about bird watching and birders, including the fact that it isn’t just a small-time hobby anymore; it is big business in Florida participated in by around 2.1 million people and paying out 660 million dollars in wages.

Stangel said that bird conservation involves three things: Most of us have birds and habitats in their area or near their homes; there are so many birders it is the fastest growing hobby in America; and a plan is needed to conserve birds and that is where Partners in Flight comes in. Partners in Flight is concerned with declining populations of birds and picks up where existing conservation initiatives end. It is a cooperative partnership among federal, philanthropic foundations, professional organizations, corporate and community and private individuals.

We all impact birds in our daily life. A few examples of this were given: If you drink coffee, you should choose shade grown coffee which provides habitat for birds, and if you eat bananas you should choose Chiquita because of their environmental habits in growing their bananas. We impact birds through our daily lives as one-half of the birds that nest in the U.S. are neo-tropical migrants. Forests are being cut at an alarming rate or burned for cattle and banana production. Here at home, the development of agricultural lands and pesticides are polluting rivers. Another example is forest cutting, along with increase of predators in developed areas. Every day domestic and feral cats kill three to five million birds. People think the feral cats do all the damage, but cat owners letting their cute pet outdoors to run harms birds as well. Another threat to neo-tropical birds is Brown-headed Cowbirds, which lay their eggs in wood thrush and other birds’ nests; over 90% of Wood Thrush nests have Cowbird eggs in them. 50% of neo-tropical birds suffer declining numbers.

Partners in Flight works with business, education, environmentalists, and government for habitat conservation. They work on management and harvest of timber lands and lakes. They focus on birds in South America. In Western Mexico, oak forests are being destroyed, and hummingbirds are being lost in Central America, Robins are threatened in Mexico, Barn Swallows in Central and South America and Chimney Swifts in South America. Research is being done on what birds need to thrive and to better manage the forests in which they live. Habitat is a home for birds, a place of shelter, food, and safety to raise a family. The wintering grounds are smaller than the breeding grounds. The question is how much habitat does a bird need to thrive. This is where amateur naturalists can come into the picture.

Education programs can be held at every level. One Audubon Chapter held a “Come as Your Favorite Bird” party to raise money and awareness. Four steps to be answered are:

How many breeding pairs are in an area and how do they survive storms and disease?
What habitat is required for what birds?
Where can we find these habitats?
How can we get people involved and change habitats?

People need to be energized and we need to change the image of birders from “Little Old Ladies in Tennis Shoes” to Young People Interested in Helping to Slow the Declining Population of Birds. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with Little Old Lady birders (I am one) but we need to involve young people in Birding if we are to be successful. Right now Birding is the fastest growing outdoor recreation and has a lot of white suburban college-educated women involved.

If numbers are to be believed, 3% of those surveyed said they play golf on vacation but 6% say they bird. Birders contribute $25 billion to the economy through travel and equipment and bird seed and feeders. Birding is good for the economy, yet do you see birding ads in airline magazines as you do golfing? Birders vote, yet do the candidates appeal to them as they do to NRA members? Many of us sit back and moan and say, “there’s nothing we can do.” Yes there is: Remind politicians that we vote; involve kids in the birding arena through education/field trips. Buy Duck Stamps, as this money goes for habitat restoration (yes mainly it has been done by hunters but why not by birders). 23 out of 25 breeding shorebirds are declining and could benefit from habitat restoration. Generate money for local Audubon efforts, set up a demo bird garden in your community or a wetland pond. Bird clubs need to change the habitat and bring corporations into this effort. Look for new sources of income, mobilize everyone.

Not on my watch is a phrase in the book, “Last of the Curlew.” It should be the catch phrase of every birder: Not on my watch will birds disappear like the Passenger Pigeon and Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Let’s all get busy and involve friends, neighbors, strangers, businesses, government and schools to work on keeping birds alive and well in our communities. John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” To paraphrase that, “Ask not what your Audubon Society can do for the birds, ask what you can do in your own community to help the birds thrive. Let’s all work together and work individually to make sure we don’t have to say, “I remember when x-birds were here by the thousands but now they are gone.” Not on my watch!