The bird's eye view — why we care
Buy for birds!
Getting kids into birds
Some things you can do right now
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Gail Mainster, Editor
NatureChallenge@DavidSuzuki.org
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The bird's eye view — why we care
Our feathered friends need help—numbers of some bird species have dwindled drastically just in the last twenty years. Scrambled seasons (a result of global warming) has led to earlier insect hatches, so long-distance migrant birds arrive at nesting grounds after the insects they feed on have already peaked. Parents lay eggs, but when their babies emerge, there’s nothing to feed them.
Their forest breeding grounds are also threatened. During the spring, Canada’s Boreal—a huge swath of land that covers 35 per cent of the country, touching almost every province and territory—provides habitat to more than half of North America’s birds. Our Boreal represents a quarter of all the intact forests remaining on earth, supporting between three and five billion migratory songbirds, yet less than ten per cent of Canada’s wilderness is currently protected.
Birds were global citizens long before humans learned to fly. In fall, hundreds of migratory species take to the skies to transect the planet. Think of your backyard or neighbourhood green space as a connecting corridor for all those chirpers —a kind of avian bed and breakfast. Be a good host. Mix up Lindsay’s easy Fat Block Bird Feeder to help fatten up your avian visitors and give them a better chance at survival.
Check out these links on birds and the Boreal.
Who’s who at the feeder
Get to know your feathered guests — here's a list to help you identify who’s turning up. Once you know, you can adjust your Fat Block Bird Feeder to suit their preferences.
 Excited about sightings? (Lindsay saw crows taking turns 'bathing' in chimney smoke – getting rid of parasites perhaps?) Got feeding tips to share? Share your stories in The Green Room. |
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Masthead graphics
Chestnut-backed chickadee - Creative Commons Licensed
Spotted towhee - courtesy of Andreas Berglund
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