Trail to Earth Day #12: A place so your bird can sing

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April 15, 2020 — The bottom line for birds is habitat. They need suitable places to nest, spend the winter, rest and feed.

Habitat loss is one of the big reasons there are 3 billion fewer birds in the world now than 50 years ago.

It’s very important that you support the open space preservation on the federal, state, and local level.

Well-planned acquisition can add to and strengthen the large forests that already exist in parts of Connecticut.

A recent study by Bird Conservation Research, based in Pomfret, shows that since 1985 the number of birds in 10,000 acres of forest in Union, Connecticut, has actually gone up. The researchers conclude that large, unbroken forests in southern New England might be serving as refuges for species declining elsewhere.

The condition of habitat right in our towns and cities makes a difference. (See our 2018 Connecticut State of the Birds report, “In Cities and Suburbs: A Fresh Look at How Birds are Surviving in Connecticut.”)

In addition, preserving forests and grasslands results in carbon sequestration – locking up carbon in plants and trees to keep it out of the atmosphere.

And of course it provides a place for your birds to sing …