What would our world be like without birds?
What would our world be like without birds? Without birdsong, nature would be eerily silent. Birds play a critical role in maintaining the delicate balance of life. Many of the foods we eat depend on birds. We rely on birds to pollinate flowers, spread their seeds, and eat pests that ravage crops.
The Ojai Valley and Los Padres National Forest are home to hundreds of species of birds. The birds depicted in this exhibition are very vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Science shows that climate change is by far the biggest threat to the birds we love. To save local birds, we must dramatically reduce carbon emissions.
The predicted reduction in the range of local birds is staggering - from 51% to 93%. This is what will happen if the global temperature continues to rise. These predictions reflect a 3 degree Celsius rise above mid-1800s temperatures. There has already been a 1.3 degree C rise.
Other major threats to birds include habitat loss and degradation, and drought. Rodenticides and the overuse of pesticides and herbicides threaten birds. Poisoning, caused by hunters using lead ammunition, kills birds of prey. We must also conserve as much land as possible, and end the use of dangerous chemicals and lead bullets.
What you can do to help birds:
The Ojai Valley and Los Padres National Forest are home to hundreds of species of birds. The birds depicted in this exhibition are very vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Science shows that climate change is by far the biggest threat to the birds we love. To save local birds, we must dramatically reduce carbon emissions.
The predicted reduction in the range of local birds is staggering - from 51% to 93%. This is what will happen if the global temperature continues to rise. These predictions reflect a 3 degree Celsius rise above mid-1800s temperatures. There has already been a 1.3 degree C rise.
Other major threats to birds include habitat loss and degradation, and drought. Rodenticides and the overuse of pesticides and herbicides threaten birds. Poisoning, caused by hunters using lead ammunition, kills birds of prey. We must also conserve as much land as possible, and end the use of dangerous chemicals and lead bullets.
What you can do to help birds:
- Plant a native plant garden to create a habitat for insects, which are important food sources for many birds.
- Avoid the use of pesticides and herbicides.
- Avoid using rodenticides which can work their way up the food chain to sicken and kill predator birds like condors, hawks, and owls.
- If you are a hunter, transition to lead-free ammunition.
- Join and support conservation organizations working to protect birds and habitat.
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Photo: Becky Donahue
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Photo: Becky Donahue
The emblem bird of the United States is a local resident at Lake Casitas. Majestic in appearance, it is not always so majestic in its habits. It often feeds on carrion, including dead fish washed up onshore. It also steals food from Ospreys and other birds. Bald Eagle numbers declined seriously during the first two-thirds of the 20th century. Shooting eagles was one major cause. Even after eagles received full legal protection, they continued to decline, probably because of the effects of DDT and other persistent pesticides. They are considered to have a low vulnerability to climate change. Following the banning of DDT, numbers have been increasing gradually since the 1970s.