North America's Bird Populations Are Shrinking Faster. Blame Climate Change and Agriculture (apnews.com) 18
"Billions fewer birds are flying through North American skies than decades ago," reports the Associated Press, "and their population is shrinking ever faster, mostly due to a combination of intensive agriculture and warming temperatures, a new study found."
Nearly half of the 261 species studied showed big enough losses in numbers to be statistically significant and more than half of those declining are seeing their losses accelerate since 1987, according to Thursday's journal Science... The only consolation is that the birds that are shrinking in numbers the fastest are species — such as the European starling, American crow, grackle and house sparrow — with large enough populations that they aren't yet at risk of going extinct, said study lead author Francois Leroy, also an Ohio State ecologist...
When it came to population declines — not the acceleration — the scientists noticed bigger losses further south. When they did a deeper analysis they statistically connected those losses to warmer temperatures from human-caused climate change. "In regions where temperatures increase the most, we are seeing strongest declines in populations," [said study co-author Marta Jarzyna, an ecologist at Ohio State University]. "On the other hand, the acceleration of those declines, that's mostly driven by agricultural practices." The scientists found statistical correlations between speeded-up decline rates and high fertilizer use, high pesticide use and amount of cropland, Leroy said. He said they couldn't say any of those caused the acceleration of losses, but it indicates agriculture in general is a factor. "The stronger the agriculture, the faster we will lose birds," said Leroy...
McGill University wildlife biologist David Bird, who wasn't part of the study, said it was done well and that its conclusions made sense. With a growing human population, agriculture practices are intensified, more bird habitats are being converted to cropland, modern machinery often grind up nests and eggs and single crop plantings offer less possibilities for birds to find food and nests, said Bird, the editor of Birds of Canada. "The biggest impact of agricultural intensity though is our war on insects. Numerous recent studies have shown that insect populations in many places throughout the world, including the U.S., have crashed by well over 40 percent," Bird said in an email. "Many of the birds in this new study showing population declines depend heavily on insects for food."
A 2019 study of the same bird species by Cornell University conservation scientist Kenneth Rosenberg also found that North America had 3 billion fewer birds than in 1970, the article points out.
When it came to population declines — not the acceleration — the scientists noticed bigger losses further south. When they did a deeper analysis they statistically connected those losses to warmer temperatures from human-caused climate change. "In regions where temperatures increase the most, we are seeing strongest declines in populations," [said study co-author Marta Jarzyna, an ecologist at Ohio State University]. "On the other hand, the acceleration of those declines, that's mostly driven by agricultural practices." The scientists found statistical correlations between speeded-up decline rates and high fertilizer use, high pesticide use and amount of cropland, Leroy said. He said they couldn't say any of those caused the acceleration of losses, but it indicates agriculture in general is a factor. "The stronger the agriculture, the faster we will lose birds," said Leroy...
McGill University wildlife biologist David Bird, who wasn't part of the study, said it was done well and that its conclusions made sense. With a growing human population, agriculture practices are intensified, more bird habitats are being converted to cropland, modern machinery often grind up nests and eggs and single crop plantings offer less possibilities for birds to find food and nests, said Bird, the editor of Birds of Canada. "The biggest impact of agricultural intensity though is our war on insects. Numerous recent studies have shown that insect populations in many places throughout the world, including the U.S., have crashed by well over 40 percent," Bird said in an email. "Many of the birds in this new study showing population declines depend heavily on insects for food."
A 2019 study of the same bird species by Cornell University conservation scientist Kenneth Rosenberg also found that North America had 3 billion fewer birds than in 1970, the article points out.
Re: (Score:2)
They are not shutting down AP, just removing them from their Sycophant-O-Thons in the WH. The quality of AP news will go up as a result. If the WH said gravity exists, I'd want independent confirmation.
In other news (Score:5, Interesting)
Trump shuts down associated press
Re: (Score:2)
They haven't shut down AP, just shut down their access to the Sycophant-O-Thons in the WH. AP's quality of news will go up as a result. If the WH said gravity exits, I'd want independent confirmation.
Changes in insect population (Score:5, Insightful)
A lot of birds feeds on insects, and large centralized farms will concentrate some of the insects while a lot of former farmland won't get any grazing animals.
There are also fewer and fewer ditches around farm fields because the drainage is now below the surface, and ditches are a breeding ground for weed. Many insects actually feed on weed and in turn birds feed on the insects.
Add to that pesticides used in farming that kills off not just the unwanted insects but many more.
Re: (Score:2)
Good point.
Stick to a diet of grazing animals, raised on unimproved prairies rather than produce from heavily modified farmland.
Population (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Every perceived problem is now, by default, caused by man-made climate change.
Not even close. Russia's invasion of Ukraine wasn't caused by man-made climate change; the civil war in Sudan wasn't caused by man-made climate change; the various assaults by Epstein and his cronies weren't caused by man-made climate change. The number of problems in the world that weren't caused by climate change is vastly greater than the number that were.
Only the climate related problems are attributed to man-made climate change.
This isn't science. This is religion.
It is science because it is backed up by a very large body of evidence, ob
Re: (Score:2)
Correlation is not causation.
Bird population could be dropping because of invasive species, urban encroachment, or other reasons.
What? (Score:2)
I thought birds weren't real?
Re: What? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Yup, the EPA has declared them to be fake news.
Just wondering (Score:2)
McGill University wildlife biologist David Bird, who wasn't part of the study
As a researcher or a subject?
Less Gold Finches in Colorado (Score:4, Interesting)
I used to get flocks of dozens of gold finches. I still put out the feeders. But I don't think I have seen a gold finch in 3 years.
Read Silent Spring by Rachel something... (Score:1)