It wouldn't be summer without the call of the bobwhite quail during the day and a whippoorwill serenade at night. But the Audubon Society says those calls are getting quieter, and the numbers back them up.
Twenty species of common birds in the continental U.S. lost at least half their population in the past four decades, says a new Audubon Society study. The statistics come from Audubon's Christmas Bird Count and the Breeding Bird Survey, which is organized by the U.S. Geological Survey. The Christmas Bird Count uses data collected by volunteers who count birds every winter and report results to Audubon. It is the world's longest running, uninterrupted bird census.
Other birds on the list include the evening grosbeak, northern pintail, eastern meadowlark and the field sparrow. The northern bobwhite topped the list with an 82% decrease in population.
"Just like an old pair of jeans, the fabric of our environment is starting to wear thin," says Audubon Society senior scientist Rob Fergus. "The declines are a reminder that we need to find ways to produce food and goods we need without taking away the earth's ability to continue to provide for us and for the birds."
Audubon blames habitat decline for the steep drops, and says the ethanol-fueled corn boom isn't helping. "If we can create a prairie ethanol system, with harvesting timed to allow birds to nest, perhaps we can create a truly bird-friendly energy source," says Fergus.