But unfortunately, many of the Nations 800 migratory bird species are still in peril because of loss of habitat and misuse of common pesticides that can be found in any hardware store. Populations of some species are declining as fast as two percent to four percent a year.
"Join the Flock .... Be Part of the Solution" is the theme of the fifth annual International Migratory Bird Day to be observed on may 3 in Anchorage. IMBD is a celebration of spring migration and the return of millions of birds to their nesting areas. IMBD features bird walks, family activities, bird banding demonstrations and other events throughout the U.S. and the Western Hemisphere.
This year IMBD takes place in Anchorage at the Six Mile Lake Chalet on Elmendorf Air Force Base from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., on May 3.
"People will have the opportunity not only to enjoy watching and photographing wild birds, but also to learn what they can do to conserve them," said Service acting director, John Rogers.
"Average citizens can play an important role in stopping the decline of some bird populations," Rogers said. "Something as simple as learning the appropriate time and way to apply pesticides to your lawn or garden can make a big difference. many people are inadvertently poisoning birds by misusing these chemicals or applying them when birds are especially vulnerable, such as when they are nesting.
Pesticides are still a domestic concern. Every year, 4 million tons of pesticides are applied across the United States everywhere from farm fields to homes and gardens. In addition, well over 100,000 tons of pesticides no longer permitted to be used in the United States are shipped to developing countries, where migratory birds spend the winter.
Loss and fragmentation of habitat also is a major reason for the decline of many bird species. For example, the United States has lost more than half its wetlands, nearly all its tallgrass prairie and virgin forest, and 75 percent of its short grass prairie. Similar destruction and degradation of native habitat is ongoing in many other countries along migration routes.
Last year on International Migratory Bird Day, the Service unveiled a national strategy to better conserve bird habitat by coordinating conservation efforts at the local, state and national levels. The plan was developed by Partners in Flight, a partnership of 16 Federal agencies, 60 state and provincial fish and wildlife agencies, and more than 100 businesses and conservation organizations.
Under the strategy, dubbed the Flight Plan," teams of biologists are identifying and ranking bird species most in need of conservation, and then setting population and habitat objectives for each species. They are also designating geographic areas critical for birds and developing a conservation blueprint for each species.
By the end of 1998, the Service and its partners expect to complete 50 regional conservation plans. These plans will help landowners who voluntarily conserve birds coordinate their efforts with their neighbors.
Regardless of how much or how little property they own, landowners can become part of the larger voluntary effort to conserve birds," Rogers said. They can get together with a local bird or garden club, or coordinate land management or landscaping activities with neighbors and nearby parks or refuges. By combining our efforts, we can help ensure future generations will not have to face a silent spring.
Migratory bird conservation also has significant benefits for the economy, Rogers said. The 65 million adults who watch birds spend up to $9 billion a year on everything from bird seed to birding trips, according to a 1995 study commissioned by the Service.
One of the easiest and most effective things Americans can do for birds is to purchase a Migratory Bird Conservation stamp, commonly known as the duck stamp," available for $15 from post offices and national wildlife refuges around the country. Ninety eight cents of every dollar raised by Duck Stamp sales is used to buy wetland habitat, which benefits migratory waterfowl and a host of other species of birds and wildlife.
"Our birds are not only priceless treasures enjoyed by old and young alike, but they are also significant to our economy, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs," Rogers said.
FWS
