4th+grade+migratory+birds

= = http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/08/140825-bird-environment-chemical-contaminant-climate-change-science-winged-warning/ (printed 3-1) = = =**Migratory Birds** =

Protecting our Friends of Flight
= **There has never been a more urgent time than now to support migratory birds and protect their future.** = Birds are a priceless part of our heritage. They are not only a delight to observe, identify and photograph, but they also serve as bellwethers of our natural and cultural health. Birds are indicators of the integrity of the environments that provide us with clean air and water, fertile soils and abundant wildlife. There has never been a more urgent time than now to support migratory birds and protect their future.

**Causes:**

Many migratory birds are declining. Causes include the loss of both breeding and wintering habitat, habitat fragmentation, decreasing sources of important food, pesticide poisonings and predation.

In North America, the loss or fragmentation of habitat appears to be the major contributing factor. Although public lands like National Wildlife Refuges and National Parks are extremely important to migrating birds, this small amount of land cannot provide all the food and habitat birds need. Nationwide, 71 percent of the land is privately owned.

In the eastern United States that figure is closer to 90 percent. To help maintain the glorious diversity of songbirds, shorebirds, raptors (owls, hawks, falcons and eagles) and waterfowl, private landowners need to provide habitat. All types of land can be managed to increase their value for wildlife while still maintaining their current use.

**What can you do to help migratory birds?**

Restore habitat. Homeowners and landowners can restore, enhance or protect habitats beneficial to birds and other wildlife. State and federal wildlife agencies have many programs to assist landowners with habitat enhancement or restoration projects. By planting native vegetation, homeowners can provide badly needed food and cover. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish & Wildlife program offers assistance to private landowners to restore wetlands and other habitats that benefit migratory birds, endangered or threatened species or anadromous (migratory) fish.

Drink shade-grown coffee. Wintering habitats in Central and South America are also being altered and are disappearing, in some cases, faster than breeding habitats. If you’re a coffee lover, consider buying shade-grown coffee. Coffee grown on clear-cut plantations destroys critical wintering habitat for migratory birds.

Keep cats indoors. There are at least 68 million pet cats in the United States. This number does not include stray or feral cats. Roaming cats kill birds. Studies have shown that birds make up 20–30 percent of cats’ prey. Cat owners can reduce the number of birds maimed and killed simply by keeping their cats indoors.

Reduce or eliminate chemical usage. Despite the banning of toxic pesticides, like DDT, birds are still exposed to harmful pesticides in this country. Although pesticides are intended to control specific pests, they can also harm or kill non-target species. Forty active ingredients in pesticides have been linked to bird die-offs. Most of those known to be toxic to birds belong to one of three classes of chemicals: organochlorines, organophosphates and carbamates.