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How have introduced species changed the fate of birds? Learn about these deadly threats!
Bird conservation is the science of conservation biology of threatened bird species and has profound implications for human behavior. Over 100 bird species have gone extinct due to human activity, with the most dramatic extinctions occurring in the Pacific, particularly during the period of human colonization of Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia. Between 750 and 1,800 bird species became extinct. According to a report by the Worldwatch Institute, 1,200 bird species are currently threatened with extinction worldwide, and one of the main reasons is habitat loss.
In addition to habitat loss, other threats include overhunting, accidental mortality from structural collisions, incidental catch in long-line fisheries, pollution, competition and predation from pet cats, oil spills, and pesticide use.
Habitat loss
The most serious threat facing threatened bird species is habitat destruction and fragmentation. Potential habitat for many species has been destroyed by agriculture, mining and urban development, while wetland drainage and logging activities are also reducing available habitat. Those habitat fragments that still exist are often too small or have become isolated due to the construction of obstacles such as roads, making the birds in these fragments more vulnerable to local extinction. The loss of tropical rainforests in particular is a pressing issue because these rainforests are home to the most species yet are being destroyed at the fastest rate.
Threats from introduced speciesHabitat loss has been blamed for the extinction of several bird species, including the Ivorywood Woodpecker and Bachmann's Song Sparrow.
Historically, the threat of introduced species to birds has probably been the factor causing most extinctions, particularly on islands. Many island species evolve in the absence of predators and therefore lose many of their anti-predator behaviors. As humans traveled around the world, they brought many exotic animals with them, causing disruption to these island species. These introduced predators such as rats, stray cats and pigs, or competitors such as other birds, pose a threat to native birds.
For example, introduced bird malaria in Hawaii is thought to be the primary cause of many extinctions, with the most famous example being the thrush, a species that was nearly wiped out by an introduced species.
Overhunting and exploitation
Humans have long exploited birds, sometimes to extinction. For example, the once-prosperous passenger pigeon, which once numbered in the billions, eventually became extinct due to overhunting. Whether for food, sport or the collection of museum specimens, the plunder and exploitation of birds has never stopped.
Between 1986 and 1988, 2 million parrots were legally imported into the United States, and many of these bird species are now on the verge of extinction due to illegal smuggling.
Other threats
Birds also face threats from pollution. As plastic waste is transported in large quantities around the world, many species are dying from accidentally ingesting it. Seabirds are particularly vulnerable to oil spills, which can destroy the waterproof properties of their feathers and cause them to drown or die from hypothermia. Buildings, communication towers, and other human-related structures also pose a threat to birds, with an estimated 350 to 975 million birds killed each year in North America alone.
The leading human-caused cause of bird mortality is window panes, accounting for between 100 million and 900 million bird deaths each year.
Protection Technology
To protect birds, scientists and conservation professionals have developed a variety of techniques, such as captive breeding and habitat protection. Captive breeding, also known as conservation outside of extinction, aims to create a healthy population of a species for future reintroduction into the wild. This strategy has been successful in saving many species, including the California condor.
Through reintroduction, the wild jacanas in Hawaii have recovered from 30 individuals to 500, demonstrating the success of scientific conservation.
As the biodiversity crisis intensifies, effective conservation strategies will become increasingly important. However, no matter how much we do, we will still face challenges that introduced species pose to native birds. Can we find the right balance so that introduced species no longer become a deadly threat to these precious creatures?
