Birds Are Vanishing In North America

di and bob

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
16,582
Purraise
22,958
Location
Nebraska, USA
It may be that humans are to blame. We are destroying their habitat, we don't spay and neuter which contributes to many hungry, homeless cats, (I have seen many dogs kill birds too, wspecially babies) we poison 'nuisance' birds like starlings and pigeons and thus poison desirable birds too, we breed flowers and trees to not have 'messy' seeds and fruits and this then denies birds food. I believe man has contributed much more to destroying many species then cats.....
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,886
Purraise
28,287
Location
South Dakota
Cars, farming, mowing, pesticides, windows, etc. It's a wonder there are any birds left. I'm wondering why now, though? Pesticide use was less regulated before. There were way more free-roaming cats years ago.

Maybe it's all those bald eagles, lol. They certainly seem to be doing well. I see at least one a day now.
 

will2002

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 12, 2018
Messages
297
Purraise
1,026
Location
Texas
I planted a 150 foot long hedge row down one side of my house nine years ago, and it's 12-15 ft. tall, and very thick now. We have more birds outside now than our four housecats can chatter at in a days time. They sit in the windows and chatter at birds early in the morning and then again in the late afternoon till they go nutty. It's so much fun to watch them!
 

Sidewinder

"Say what, crackerhead?"
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jul 12, 2019
Messages
534
Purraise
1,415
Location
Cochise Stronghold, Arizona
No matter where I live, I do my best to offer sanctuary to wild birds... I set up at least one birdbath, put up multiple feeders, leave bushes and trees in place if they offer habitat, safety, etc. My cats love watching the birds, but if I see a dangerous situation developing I will take steps to rectify it... for instance, I need to whack weeds again in my yard, they're growing tall enough to conceal the cats entirely from birds who wish to alight in that area. I may be a diehard cat lover, but I also enjoy time shared with my little feathered friends. The hummingbirds, woodpeckers & tanagers are my favorites here in southeastern Arizona... :rolleyes:
 

fionasmom

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
13,123
Purraise
17,354
Location
Los Angeles
This is definitely not all on cats. Cats are the easiest source to blame though because the destruction of habitats and use of pesticides is a much bigger issue to resolve. For many people, it is the most understandable source as well. We have all seen a cat go after a bird but most of us are not living where habitats are being destroyed. We only hear about it.
 

Purr-fect

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 20, 2017
Messages
1,843
Purraise
5,563
Cats arent to blame for the loss of billions of birds....... its humans.

Even if you dont believe in global warming, the fact is.....as the world population grows we will need more food, more water and more fresh air, but there is only a finite amount. At the same time we are using those finite resources at an ever increasing rate. Eventually there simply wont be enough for everyone.

Too bad cats dont rule the earth...none of this would have happened.
 

jefferd18

Ms. Jeff's Legacy
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2019
Messages
2,269
Purraise
2,067
First of all let me explain: I hate any kind of cat bashing. Cats have unfairly been getting a bad rep since the Middle Ages.

Cats are much more apt to go for the easy kill, which means ground rodents, then to try for a bird.

The only animal that has the capacity to diminish large swaths of a species would be humans. Skyscrapers, planes, pesticides, development, climate change, glass windows, and loss of habitats, are the very things that do birds in.
 

DreamerRose

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 11, 2015
Messages
8,744
Purraise
11,085
Location
Naperville, IL
When I had to replace all my doors and windows, I ordered ones with grilles in them. One of the reason I got the grilles was to prevent birds from crashing into them. I saw a story on a news site some time ago that said new skyscrapers are building their windows with something on them that doesn't mirror to protect the birds.
 

MoonstoneWolf

Cat Food Bowl Referee
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
4,590
Purraise
4,140
Location
St. Louis MO
Whoever wrote that article didn't see my back yard. It looks like Alfred Hitchcock outside with all the birds in my yard even with all these feral cats.
 
Top