For years, I took the presence of birds for granted. Like many of you, I enjoy listening to birds chirp and chatter as the day begins. I love watching their antics; fluttering, prancing, and swooping past as I walk through the woods or in a neighborhood park. And I, like so many of you, simply assumed that those birds would always be around to brighten my day.
When we take things for granted, they have a habit of slipping away before we realize that they're gone. What would it be like to wake up tomorrow to the sound of silence?
It could happen. What many of us don't realize is just how endangered the North American bird population really is. Increased development, the loss of vital riparian areas along with the loss of native prairie grasses have all contributed to a dramatic decrease in the bird population. Since 1970, the migratory bird population has declined 70%, with bird populations reduced in grassland, coastal and arid climates. The grassland bird population has also declined around 40% is the past 40 years, with the loss and degradation of native prairie grasses, overgrazing, and the overgrowth of alien vegetation all cited as varying contributing factors.
At HMI, we're training farmers, ranchers and land owners to better manage their land. Better land management, such as proper timing of grazing means increased survival of birds nests in at-risk areas. Healing the land also means more available food for birds to feed their young.
If you're ready to help ensure that the North American bird population will soar once more, consider giving the
this Holiday season.