Laramie Celebrates Migratory Birds

 

Saturday, May 1st  Optimist Park

Bird walk along the Greenbelt 8:00am to 9:00am

Informational displays and educational activities 9:00am to 1:00pm

HIGH COUNTRY CONSERVATION

 

Helping you protect soil, water, air, wildlife and our way of life

 

It happens every spring, thousands upon thousands of migratory birds return to North America. Here in Wyoming, the first signs of that natural rhythm – a new bird at the backyard feeder, the first song of a meadowlark in the distance, are much appreciated signs that another long winter is at its end. What we may fail to appreciate, though, are the ongoing threats that continue to endanger many of the nearly 350 species of birds that annually migrate between summer and winter habitats.

 

The difficulties and challenges our feathered friends face are as numerous as they are varied, and a majority are related to human activities. For example, collisions with windows account for well over 97 million bird deaths annually, pesticides are estimated to result in the annual direct mortality of 72 million birds, and domestic cats kill    hundreds of millions of songbirds every year. A recent study in Wisconsin estimated that in that state alone, domestic rural cats kill roughly 39 million birds annually. Add these risks to natural mortality from predation, disease, weather, and habitat loss and the cumulative effect is a serious decline in the populations of many wild bird species.

 

Depressing news indeed, but the situation is far from hopeless. There is much we can do as individuals to protect birds, and many conservation organizations, resource management agencies, and

Laramie Rivers Conservation District

Spring 2010 Edition                      Volume 20, No 3

Laramie Celebrates Migratory Birds

businesses are actively working to promote bird conservation. Just as the many threats can have a cumulative negative effect on bird populations, the combined efforts of concerned individuals and organizations contribute to the ongoing survival of wild bird populations.

 

International Migratory Bird Day, launched in 1993 by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, is one example of an effort to bring together concerned citizens to spark awareness of the critical needs of migrating bird populations and to foster an energized culture of environmental stewardship.  Each year since then, hundreds of colorful and informative festivals, events, and programs attract over half a million participants in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America. On Saturday, May 1, Laramie will be among these communities celebrating the amazing journey of migratory birds and learning more about what we can do to insure their survival. The theme of this year’s IMBD, “The Power of Partnerships in Bird  Conservation”, commemorates the fact that while ongoing threats continue to endanger migrating birds, the

(Continued on page 4)