birding-aus

Reasons to care about birds

To: "Lorne Johnson" <>, <>
Subject: Reasons to care about birds
From: Carol Probets <>
Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2007 19:49:09 +1000
OK, preaching to the converted here, but in answer to Lorne's question and as a fun exercise, I jotted down a few reasons which immediately came to mind:

* Birds can be effective pest-controllers (including insects, rodents, etc).
* Many plants rely on birds for pollination.
* Many plants rely on birds for seed dispersal.
* Without birds, we would be "knee-deep" in insects, spiders, etc. (OK, perhaps an exaggeration but can anyone provide relevant figures?)
* Birds can be food for other animals.
* Birds can be eaten by humans - when appropriate (but not by me, I'm vegetarian). * Birds are not separate to but a part of the environment, and they contribute to biodiversity.
* Birds can be indicators for the health of the environment.
* Birds can show us where water is in the desert.
* Birds feature in art through the ages and will continue to inspire artists and writers. * Without birds there would be no birdsong. And the history of music would probably have run a different course. * Birds provide a wonderful opportunity for children to learn about and experience nature. * Birds have the ability to lift our spirits and make the world a more interesting and beautiful place.

There are probably as many reasons to care about birds as there are people to voice those reasons. Hope that helps.

cheers,
 Carol


At 1:44 PM +1000 5/4/07, Lorne Johnson wrote:
Secondly, a colleague recently said, flippantly, "Who cares about
birds?" when she and another woman were talking about the importance of
environmental protection. I was speechless, unable to defend our
feathered mates and left the room, furious. So, what should have I said.
Why should we care about our birds?
I'd love to hear what people think.
LJ
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