"Imagine your backyard or the park where you walk without the color and music of birds — the red and handsome flash of the cardinal, the conversational chatter of goldfinches at a feeder, the soft call of the mourning dove signaling the onset of evening. Birds connect us more intimately and immediately to the natural world than any other wild creature, partly because they are so ever-present in our lives. But a new report from an international birding organization indicates this tie can be precarious. The State of the World's Birds, from Birdlife International, details dramatic declines worldwide in many bird populations, including some of the most common species that grace our backyard feeders. The report cites habitat loss, pollution and climate change as culprits that have contributed to a disturbing statistic — one in eight of all bird species is threatened with global extinction."
Link: Full article from the Wisconsin State Journal
Western Meadowlark © 2008 Mike McDowell