Where Have All the Birds Gone? Nature in Crisis
***Scroll down for complete bibliography***
Twenty-First Century Books 2022
ISBN-10: 1728431778 ISBN-13: 978-1728431772 120 pp. hardcover Birds are disappearing.
Birds are nature's essential workers, and they are crucial members of ecosystems around the world. Hummingbirds pollinate our flowers; cardinals munch on beetles, grasshoppers, and other pests that damage crops; owls eat rodents that can spread disease; vultures clean up roadkill and other waste. Beyond their practical aspects, birds bring us joy through their songs and beauty. But since 1970, nearly 30 percent of all birds in the United States and Canada have vanished. Scientists are scrambling to figure out what may be causing such a drastic decline. The answer: humans. City lights and tall glass skyscrapers disorient migrating birds. Domesticated cats prowling outdoors kill billions of birds each year. Pesticides contaminate fish and insects, which are then consumed by birds of prey. And climate change might disrupt and even wipe out feeding grounds for entire species. Discover the vast impacts birds have on ecosystems, food systems, and human communities, and learn more about what scientists are doing to protect them. |
Reviews
★ starred review, School Library Journal
Scientist and naturalist Hirsch uses a clear and straightforward style to describe factors leading to the loss of three billion North American birds since 1970 and the meaning of such a catastrophic loss to the environment. Her sobering description of the wanton and widespread killing of the passenger pigeon, a North American bird numbering in the millions in the last century, provides a historical context of careless extinction. She contrasts this with the response to the death of hundreds of migrating songbirds that flew into skyscraper plate glass windows in 2020 as she describes steps taken to prevent a recurrence of such a tragedy. The chapters flow from topic to topic with a text that is easy to read and understand on many levels, including for those beginning to study environmental issues. Sidebars amplify the information in the narrative, and a wide range of color photographs, maps, and drawings is engaging and illustrates the diversity of individuals working on environmental issues. Not all doom and gloom, specific chapters describe how individuals can make a difference. The glossary and index make this useful for reports, while the bibliography and source notes provide jumping off points for further exploration. VERDICT Recommended as a first purchase for school and public library collections.
Scientist and naturalist Hirsch uses a clear and straightforward style to describe factors leading to the loss of three billion North American birds since 1970 and the meaning of such a catastrophic loss to the environment. Her sobering description of the wanton and widespread killing of the passenger pigeon, a North American bird numbering in the millions in the last century, provides a historical context of careless extinction. She contrasts this with the response to the death of hundreds of migrating songbirds that flew into skyscraper plate glass windows in 2020 as she describes steps taken to prevent a recurrence of such a tragedy. The chapters flow from topic to topic with a text that is easy to read and understand on many levels, including for those beginning to study environmental issues. Sidebars amplify the information in the narrative, and a wide range of color photographs, maps, and drawings is engaging and illustrates the diversity of individuals working on environmental issues. Not all doom and gloom, specific chapters describe how individuals can make a difference. The glossary and index make this useful for reports, while the bibliography and source notes provide jumping off points for further exploration. VERDICT Recommended as a first purchase for school and public library collections.
★ starred review, Kirkus Reviews
This pithy book more than fulfills its promise to introduce readers to the importance of birds, the state of avian research, and how they can contribute to birds’ well-being.
The text is both graceful and accessible. It begins with how and why passenger pigeons rapidly became extinct and is unsparing in detailing the deaths of thousands of migratory birds in Philadelphia in October 2020. These sobering accounts are balanced by success stories, such as the rebounding of dwindling raptor populations thanks to wildlife protection laws, a raptor sanctuary, and the ban on DDT. However, along with mentioning how critical birds are to the ecosystem, the text clearly states that 40% of bird species worldwide are shrinking in numbers. There is also a sobering chapter about climate change and its impact on seabirds. A full chapter devoted to the threat posed by domesticated cats uses gentle humor and shows compassion in its recommendations to cat owners. Up-to-date research—including interviews with scientists—highlights the urgency of sustainable farming, bird-friendly skyscrapers, and better placement of wind farms. A cutting-edge discovery by an entomologist, further researched by an urban ecologist, shows how selecting native plants over lawns supports caterpillars, the mainstay diet of most baby birds, turning backyards into habitats. The final chapter exhorts readers to follow the recommendations for reversing the trend toward bird extinctions. The excellent layout, informative sidebars, and attractive images are noteworthy.
Well-informed inspiration.
This pithy book more than fulfills its promise to introduce readers to the importance of birds, the state of avian research, and how they can contribute to birds’ well-being.
The text is both graceful and accessible. It begins with how and why passenger pigeons rapidly became extinct and is unsparing in detailing the deaths of thousands of migratory birds in Philadelphia in October 2020. These sobering accounts are balanced by success stories, such as the rebounding of dwindling raptor populations thanks to wildlife protection laws, a raptor sanctuary, and the ban on DDT. However, along with mentioning how critical birds are to the ecosystem, the text clearly states that 40% of bird species worldwide are shrinking in numbers. There is also a sobering chapter about climate change and its impact on seabirds. A full chapter devoted to the threat posed by domesticated cats uses gentle humor and shows compassion in its recommendations to cat owners. Up-to-date research—including interviews with scientists—highlights the urgency of sustainable farming, bird-friendly skyscrapers, and better placement of wind farms. A cutting-edge discovery by an entomologist, further researched by an urban ecologist, shows how selecting native plants over lawns supports caterpillars, the mainstay diet of most baby birds, turning backyards into habitats. The final chapter exhorts readers to follow the recommendations for reversing the trend toward bird extinctions. The excellent layout, informative sidebars, and attractive images are noteworthy.
Well-informed inspiration.
★ starred review, Booklist
Hirsch (Where Have All the Bees Gone?, 2020) examines a new environmental crisis in this alarming survey of what’s causing bird populations to decline. Billions of birds are lost annually worldwide--billions. Hirsch plumbs science reports to present the leading culprits in nine well-researched and nicely contextualized chapters, kicking things off with the sobering reality that we are in the midst of a sixth mass extinction, for which humans are to blame. Many readers may be surprised to learn that window strikes (when birds collide with windows) are the leading killer of birds in North America, though according to the book’s statistics, outdoor cats are every bit as deadly. Pesticides, habitat loss, introduced plant and animal species, and climate change comprise the other heavy hitters. Coverage of each topic smoothly incorporates history, science, case studies, and/or work being done to address the problem. Maps, photos, and topical boxed asides lend added support to the main text. It’s impossible to read this and not recognize the seriousness of the problem, but Hirsch also highlights birds’ resilience when given a helping hand, and she devotes the book’s final chapter to positive actions readers can take, from planting native gardens and participating in bird-counting events to making Zen wind curtains for bird-friendly windows. Source notes and a further-reading list conclude this compelling resource.
Hirsch (Where Have All the Bees Gone?, 2020) examines a new environmental crisis in this alarming survey of what’s causing bird populations to decline. Billions of birds are lost annually worldwide--billions. Hirsch plumbs science reports to present the leading culprits in nine well-researched and nicely contextualized chapters, kicking things off with the sobering reality that we are in the midst of a sixth mass extinction, for which humans are to blame. Many readers may be surprised to learn that window strikes (when birds collide with windows) are the leading killer of birds in North America, though according to the book’s statistics, outdoor cats are every bit as deadly. Pesticides, habitat loss, introduced plant and animal species, and climate change comprise the other heavy hitters. Coverage of each topic smoothly incorporates history, science, case studies, and/or work being done to address the problem. Maps, photos, and topical boxed asides lend added support to the main text. It’s impossible to read this and not recognize the seriousness of the problem, but Hirsch also highlights birds’ resilience when given a helping hand, and she devotes the book’s final chapter to positive actions readers can take, from planting native gardens and participating in bird-counting events to making Zen wind curtains for bird-friendly windows. Source notes and a further-reading list conclude this compelling resource.
Order the Book
Coming March 1, 2022 and available for pre-order now.
Complete Bibliography
Chapter 1 - Three Billion to Zero
Chapter 2 - Disappearing Birds
Chapter 3 - A Clear Danger
Chapter 4 - Here, Kitty, Kitty
Chapter 5 - Hawk Watching
Chapter 6 - Food Chains and Bird Brains
Chapter 7 - Sea Change
Chapter 8 - Bringing Back Nature
Chapter 9 - How You Can Help
- Greenberg, Joel. A Feathered River Across the Sky: The Passenger Pigeon’s Flight to Extinction. New York: Bloomsbury, 2014.
- "Historical Currency Conversions." Futureboy.us. Accessed April 2, 2021. https://futureboy.us/fsp/dollar.fsp.
- “The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Summary Statistics.” IUCN Red List. Accessed April 2, 2021. https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/summary-statistics and https://nc.iucnredlist.org/redlist/content/attachment_files/2021-1_RL_Stats_Table1a.pdf.
- Klein, Christopher. “The Last Days of the Passenger Pigeon, 100 Years Ago.” History Stories (2018): Accessed February 4, 2021. https://www.history.com/news/the-last-days-of-the-passenger-pigeon-100-years-ago.
- “Pokagon State Park/Trine State Recreation Area.” Accessed February 26, 2021. https://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2973.htm.
- Pokagon, Simon. “The Red Man’s Rebuke (1893).” (1893): Accessed February 26, 2021. http://arcadiasystems.org/academia/cassatt8j.html.
- "Reward for Wild Pigeons." The New York Times, April 4, 1910. Accessed April 2, 2021. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1910/04/04/104928421.pdf
- “Simon Pokagon.” Accessed February 26, 2021. https://historymuseumsb.org/simon-pokagon/.
- Smithsonian Institute. “The Passenger Pigeon.” Smithsonian Institute. Accessed February 4, 2021. https://www.si.edu/spotlight/passenger-pigeon.
- U.S. Committee North American Bird Conservation Initiative. “State of the Birds 2014 Report.” (2014): Accessed February 4, 2021. https://archive.stateofthebirds.org/state-of-the-birds-2014-report/.
- Waters, Hannah. "How Birds Survived the Asteroid Impact That Wiped Out the Dinosaurs." Audubon. May 24, 2018. https://www.audubon.org/news/how-birds-survived-asteroid-impact-wiped-out-dinosaurs.
- Yeoman, Barry. “Why the Passenger Pigeon Went Extinct.” Audubon (2014): Accessed February 4, 2021. https://www.audubon.org/magazine/may-june-2014/why-passenger-pigeon-went-extinct%0A.
Chapter 2 - Disappearing Birds
- BirdLife International. “State of the World’s Birds: Taking the Pulse of the Planet.” (2018): Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.birdlife.org/sowb2018.
- Brulliard, Karin. “North America Has Lost 3 Billion Birds in 50 Years.” (2019): Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/09/19/north-america-has-lost-billion-birds-years/.
- “California Condor.” Animals Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/c/california-condor/.
- Carson, Rachel. The Sense of Wonder. New York: Harper Row, 1990.
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Can You Really Use Weather Radar to See Migrating Birds?” (2009): Accessed February 26, 2021. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/can-you-really-use-weather-radar-to-see-migrating-birds/.
- Eschner, Kat. “The Story of the Real Canary in the Coal Mine.” (2016): Accessed June 18, 2018. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/story-real-canary-coal-mine-180961570/.
- Fessenden, Marissa. “How Bird Migrations Show Up Beautifully on Doppler Radar.” (2014): Accessed February 26, 2021. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-doppler-radar-can-track-bird-migrations-180952834/.
- “Major Findings.” Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.3billionbirds.org/findings.
- “New Study Finds U.s. And Canada Have Lost More Than One in Four Birds in the Past 50 Years.” (2019): Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.3billionbirds.org/press-release.
- O'Connor, M. R. "Big Data Is for the Birds." Nautilus. August 20, 2015. Accessed April 9, 2021. https://nautil.us/issue/27/dark-matter/big-data-is-for-the-birds.
- “Peregrine Falcon.” Animals Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/p/peregrine-falcon/.
- Rosenberg, Kenneth V., Adriaan M. Dokter, and et al. “Decline of the North American Avifauna.” Science 366, no. 6461 (2019): 120–24.
- Waters, Hannah. “Weather Radar Captures Flocks of Birds Taking Off.” (2014): Accessed February 26, 2021. https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/culturing-science/weather-radar-captures-flocks-of-birds-taking-off/.
- Yong, Ed. “The Quiet Disappearance of Birds in North America.” (2019): Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/09/america-has-lost-quarter-its-birds-fifty-years/598318/.
- Zarankin, Julia. “More Birds Bring More Happiness, According to Science.” (2021): Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.audubon.org/news/more-birds-bring-more-happiness-according-science.
- Zimmer, Carl. “Birds Are Vanishing From North America.” (2019): Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/science/bird-populations-america-canada.html?searchResultPosition=2.
Chapter 3 - A Clear Danger
- American Bird Conservancy. "New York City Passes Country's Most Wide-ranging Bird-friendly Building Legislation," American Bird Conservany. January 12, 2020. https://abcbirds.org/article/new-york-city-passes-countrys-most-wide-ranging-bird-friendly-building-legislation
- Audubon. “Existing Lights Out Programs.” Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.audubon.org/httpswwwaudubonorgmenuconservation/existing-lights-out-programs.
- Audubon Pennsylvania. “Facebook Post.” (2020): Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/AudubonPA/posts/3447344198691746.
- Audubon Pennsylvania. “Monitoring Bird-Window Collisions in Downtown Philadelphia.” (2020): Accessed February 12, 2021. https://pa.audubon.org/news/monitoring-bird-window-collisions-downtown-philadelphia.
- "Bird Safe Philly," Bird Safe Philly, accessed April 15, 2021, https://www.birdsafephilly.org/
- CNN.com Wire Service. “Https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/10/09/1500-Birds-may-have-flown-into-philadelphia-skyscrapers-in-one-day/.” (2020): Accessed February 12, 2021.
- Harvard Health Letter. “Blue Light Has a Dark Side.” Harvard Health Letter (2020): Accessed February 19, 2021. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side.
- Hauser, Christine. "Turn the Lights Out. Here Come the Birds." The New York Times. April 12, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/10/us/bird-migration-lights-out.html.
- International Dark-Sky Association. “Human Health.” Accessed February 19, 2021. https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/human-health/.
- Kennedy, Sean. “Chicago’s Killer View: The Skyline’s Toll on Migratory Birds.” Curious City (2016): Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.wbez.org/stories/chicagos-killer-view-the-skylines-toll-on-migratory-birds/7d953e6a-7d23-470f-8f59-561c211da1f9.
- Klem, Daniel. "Bird–Window Collisions: A Critical Animal Welfare and Conservation Issue." Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. 18:sup1 (2015) S11-S17, DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2015.1075832.
- Klem, Daniel. Interview with Author. (September 23, 2020).
- Klem, Daniel and Peter G. Saenger. "Evaluating the Effectiveness of Select Visual Signals to Prevent Bird-window Collisions." The Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 125 (2013):406–411.
- Kummer, Frank. “Up to 1,500 Birds Flew Into Some of Philly’s Tallest Skyscrapers One Day Last Week. The Slaughter Shook Bird-Watchers.” (2020): Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.inquirer.com/news/birds-center-city-philadelphia-audubon-october-2-2020-20201007.html.
- “Light Pollution.” Resource Library. National Geographic. July 23, 2019. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/light-pollution/.
- Loss, Scott R., Tom Will, Sara S. Loss, and Peter P. Marra. “Bird–Building Collisions in the United States: Estimates of Annual Mortality and Species Vulnerability.” The Condor 115, no. 1 (2014): 8–23.
- Michael Mesure. Interview with Author. (March 19, 2021).
- New York City Audubon. “Lights Out New York.” Accessed February 12, 2021. http://www.nycaudubon.org/lights-out-new-york.
- "New York City Passes Country's Most Wide-ranging Bird-friendly Building Legislation." American Bird Conservancy. January 12, 2020. https://abcbirds.org/article/new-york-city-passes-countrys-most-wide-ranging-bird-friendly-building-legislation/.
- Peck, Robert M. and Russell, Keith. “Philly Can Save Thousands of Birds That Crash Into Our Buildings and Die.” (2020): Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/birds-center-city-philadelphia-lights-out-buildings-20201021.html.
- Russell, Keith. Phone Interview with Author. (November 4, 2020).
- Russell, Keith. Phone Interview with Author. (March 24, 2021).
- Safronova, Valeriya. “When Did Everyone Get Blue-Light Glasses?” (2021): Accessed February 19, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/18/style/blue-light-glasses.html.
- Wilson, E. O. Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life. New York: Liveright Publishing, 2016.
Chapter 4 - Here, Kitty, Kitty
- American Bird Conservancy. “Hawaii.” Accessed February 9, 2021. https://abcbirds.org/hawaii/.
- Angier, Natalie. “That Cuddly Kitty is Deadlier Than You Think.” (2013): Accessed February 9, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/30/science/that-cuddly-kitty-of-yours-is-a-killer.html.
- BirdLife International. “State of the World’s Birds: Taking the Pulse of the Planet.” (2018): Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.birdlife.org/sowb2018.
- “Cats Indoors.” Accessed February 9, 2021. https://abcbirds.org/program/cats-indoors/.
- “Hawaiian Petrel.” (2019): Accessed February 9, 2021. https://kauaiseabirdproject.org/hawaiian-petrel/.
- Hawkins, Cole C., William E. Grant, and Michael T. Longnecker. “Effect of House Cats, Being Fed in Parks, on California Birds and Rodents.” 4th International Urban Wildlife Symposium (2004).
- Hess, Steven C. “By Land and By Sea: The Widespread Threat of Feral Cats on Hawaiian Wildlife.” The Wildlife Professional 5, no. 1 (2011): 66–67.
- Klem, Daniel. Interview with Author. (September 23, 2020).
- Lansberg, Gary M, and Sagi Denenberg. "Social Behavior of Cats." Merck Veterinary Manual. May 2014. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/behavior/normal-social-behavior-and-behavioral-problems-of-domestic-animals/social-behavior-of-cats.
- Loss, Scott R., Tom Will, and Peter P. Marra. “The Impact of Free-Ranging Domestic Cats on Wildlife of the United States.” Nature Communications 4, no. 1396 (2013).
- Marra, Peter P. and Chris Santella. Cat Wars: The Devastating Consequences of a Cuddly Killer. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016.
- "Pets by the Numbers," The Humane Society of the United States. Accessed April 15, 2021. https://humanepro.org/page/pets-by-the-numbers.
- Price, Mark. “‘Massacre’ of Endangered Birds Linked to Hawaii’s Booming Population of Invasive Cats.” (2020): Accessed February 9, 2021. https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/pets/massacre-of-endangered-birds-linked-to-hawaii-s-booming-population-of-invasive-cats/ar-BB18N482.
- Stutchbury, Bridget. Silence of the Songbirds. New York: Walker Publishing Company, 2007.
- Tucker, Abigail. “To Save the Woodrat, Conservationists Have to Deal With an Invasive Species First: House Cats.” (2016): Accessed February 9, 2021. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/save-woodrat-conservationists-deal-invasive-species-first-house-cats-180960445/.
- Verbano, Stefan. “Hawai‘I’s Endangered Birds.” (2019): Accessed February 9, 2021. https://keolamagazine.com/sustainability/hawaiis-endangered-birds/.
Chapter 5 - Hawk Watching
- Axelson, Gusave. “Nearly 30% of Birds in U.s., Canada Have Vanished Since 1970.” (2019): Accessed February 19, 2021. https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2019/09/nearly-30-birds-us-canada-have-vanished-1970.
- Barber, David. Interview with Author. (September 22, 2020).
- Bildstein, Keith L. “A Brief History of Raptor Conservation in North America,” In The State of North America’s Birds of Prey, edited by K.L. Bildstein, J. Smith, and E.
- BirdLife International. “State of the World’s Birds: Taking the Pulse of the Planet.” (2018): Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.birdlife.org/sowb2018.
- Carson, Rachel. “Road of the Hawks,” In Lost Woods: The Discovered Writing of Rachel Carson, 32. Boston: Beacon Press, 2010.
- Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1962.
- Childs, Jan Wesner. “Some 50 Years After DDT Was Banned, it’s Still Found in Some Canadian Lakes.” (2019): Accessed February 19, 2021. https://weather.com/science/environment/news/2019-06-13-ddt-levels-canada-lakes.
- Barrera, Jorge. “Agent Orange Has Left Deadly Legacy.” (2005): Accessed February 19, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20080124123943/http://www.nben.ca/environews/media/mediaarchives/05/july/legacy.htm.
- Ducks Unlimited. “Nawmp - North American Waterfowl Management Plan.” Accessed February 19, 2021. https://www.ducks.org/conservation/public-policy/nawmp-north-american-waterfowl-management-plan.
- “Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.” Accessed February 19, 2021. https://www.hawkmountain.org/.
- Hirsch, Rebecca. “In Person Visit to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.” (2020):
- Lallanilla, Marc. "History and Impact of the Pesticide DDT." The Spruce. October 18, 2019. https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-ddt-history-impacts-1708897.
- Marra, Peter P. and Chris Santella. Cat Wars: The Devastating Consequences of a Cuddly Killer. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016.
- “No Net Loss of Wetlands.” Coastal Resilience Accessed February 19, 2021. https://coastalresilience.tamu.edu/home/wetland-protection/policy-framework/federal-framework/no-net-loss-of-wetlands/.
- “North American Waterfowl Management Plan: A Model for International Conservation.” Accessed February 19, 2021. https://www.fws.gov/birds/management/bird-management-plans/north-american-waterfowl-management-plan.php.
- “Raptors At Hawk Mountain.” Raptor Fact Sheets Accessed February 19, 2021. https://www.hawkmountain.org/visit/raptors-at-hawk-mountain.
- Ruelas, Orwigsburg, PA: Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 2008.
- Sibbing, Julie M. “Nowhere Near No-Net-loss.” Accessed February 19, 2021. https://www.nwf.org/~/media/PDFs/Wildlife/Nowhere_Near_No-Net-Loss.pdf.
- “Wetland Values and Trends, Rca Issue Brief #4.” (1995): Accessed February 19, 2021. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/technical/nra/rca/?cid=stelprdb1042133.
- “Wetlands.” Accessed February 19, 2021. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/water/wetlands/.
Chapter 6 - Food Chains and Bird Brains
- Axelson, Gustave. "Making Sense of Coffee Labels: Does Your Coffee Support Wintering Warblers?" The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. October 9, 2012. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/making-sense-of-coffee-labels-shade-grown-organic-fair-trade-bird-friendl/.
- BirdLife International. “State of the World’s Birds: Taking the Pulse of the Planet.” (2018): Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.birdlife.org/sowb2018.
- Cavallaro, Michael C. et al. "Community‐level and phenological responses of emerging aquatic insects exposed to 3 neonicotinoid insecticides: An in situ wetland limnocorral approach." Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 37 no. 9 (2018): 2401-2412.
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “How Can Coffee Help or Harm Birds?” (2015): Accessed February 23, 2021. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/how-can-coffee-help-or-harm-birds/.
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Western Meadowlark: Life History.” All About Birds Accessed February 23, 2021. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Meadowlark/lifehistory.
- Dickinson, Emily. “The Bobolink is Gone—.” Accessed February 23, 2021. https://hellopoetry.com/poem/2455/the-bobolink-is-gone/.
- Eng, Margaret. Zoom interview with Author. (January 22, 2021).
- Eng, Margaret, Bridget J. M. Stutchbury, and Christy A. Morrissey. “A Neonicotinoid Insecticide Reduces Fueling and Delays Migration in Songbirds.” Science 365 (2019): 1177–80.
- Environmental Protection Agency. “Chemically-Related Groups of Active Ingredients.” Accessed February 23, 2021. https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/chemically-related-groups-active-ingredients.
- Frank, S.D. and J.F. Tooker. “Neonicotinoids Pose Undocumented Threats Tofood Webs.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117, no. 37 (2020): 22609–13.
- “Grassland Birds.” Fish and Wildlife Habitat Management Leaflet (1999): Accessed February 23, 2021. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs143_009930.pdf.
- Kolbert, Elizabeth. “Where Have All the Insects Gone?” National Geographic 237, no. 5 (2020): 40–65.
- “Long Point Bird Observatory.” Accessed February 23, 2021. https://www.birdscanada.org/bird-science/long-point-bird-observatory/.
- Main, Anson R., John V. Headley, Kerry M. Peru, Nicole L. Michel, Allan J. Cessna, and Christy A. Morrissey. “Widespread Use and Frequent Detection of Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Wetlands of Canada’s Prairie Pothole Region.” PLOS One 9, no. 3 (2014): e92821.
- “Major Findings.” Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.3billionbirds.org/findings.
- Mineau, Pierre and Mélanie Whiteside. “Pesticide Acute Toxicity is a Better Correlate of U.s. Grassland Bird Declines Than Agricultural Intensification.” PLOS One 8, no. 2 (2013): e57457.
- Morrissey, Christie A. Zoom interview With Author. (January 20, 2021).
- New York Times Editorial Board. “Toxic Threats to Grassland Birds.” The New York Times. March 22, 2013. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/12/opinion/toxic-threats-to-grassland-birds.html.
- Nickens, T. Edward. “Vanishing Voices.” (2010): Accessed February 23, 2021. https://www.nwf.org/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2010/Grasslands-Birds-Disappearing.
- Rosenberg, Kenneth V., Adriaan M. Dokter, and et al. “Decline of the North American Avifauna.” Science 366, no. 6461 (2019): 120–24.
- Roy, Charlotte L. et al. "Multi-scale availability of neonicotinoid-treated seed for wildlife in an agricultural landscape during spring planting." Science of the Total Environment, 682 (2019): 271-281.
- Royte, Elizabeth. “The Same Pesticides Linked to Bee Declines Might Also Threaten Birds.” Audubon (2017): Accessed February 23, 2021. https://www.audubon.org/magazine/spring-2017/the-same-pesticides-linked-bee-declines-might.
- Stanton, R.L., C.A. Morrissey, and R.G. Clark. “Analysis of Trends and Agricultural Drivers of Farmland Bird Declines in North America: A Review.” Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 254 (2018): 244–54.
- Supertrooper. “6 Reasons You Should be Drinking “Bird-Friendly” Coffee.” (2013): Accessed February 23, 2021. https://focusingonwildlife.com/news/6-reasons-you-should-be-drinking-bird-friendly-coffee/.
- Tooker, John. “Viewpoint: Neonicotinoid Use on Field Crops Should be Reined in.” (2018): Accessed February 23, 2021. https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2018/07/02/viewpoint-neonicotinoid-use-on-field-crops-should-be-reined-in/.
- Wildlife Conservation Society. “Grassland Birds.” Accessed February 23, 2021. https://northamerica.wcs.org/Wildlife/Grassland-Birds.aspx.
- Wilsey, CB, J Grand, J Wu, N Michel, J Grogan-Brown and B Trusty. “North American Grasslands.” (2019): Accessed February 23, 2021. https://nas-national-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/audubon_north_american_grasslands_birds_report-final.pdf.
- Wilson, E. O. “My Wish: Build the Encyclopedia of Life.” (2007): Accessed September 5, 2018. https://www.ted.com/talks/e_o_wilson_on_saving_life_on_earth.
Chapter 7 - Sea Change
- Associated Press. “Scientists Investigate Massive Seabird Die-Off in Alaska.” CBS News. January 12, 2016: accessed March 31, 2021. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/scientists-investigate-massive-seabird-die-off-in-alaska/.
- Audubon. “Common Murre, Uria Aalge.” Guide to North American Birds. Accessed April 13, 2021. https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/common-murre.
- “Common Murre.” All About Birds. Accessed April 13, 2021. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Murre/overview.
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Allen’s Hummingbird: Identification.” All About Birds Accessed February 23, 2021. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Allens_Hummingbird/id.
- Cornwall, Warren. “Ocean Heat Waves Like the Pacific’s Deadly ‘Blob’ Could Become the New Normal.” Science. January 31, 2019. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/01/ocean-heat-waves-pacific-s-deadly-blob-could-become-new-normal.
- Dias, Maria P. et al. “Threats to Seabirds: A Global Assessment.” Biological Conservation 237 (2019).
- Gentemann, Chelle L., Melanie R. Fewings, and Marisol Garcia-Reyes. “Satellite Sea Surface Temperatures Along the Westcoast of the United States During the 2014–2016 Northeast Pacific Marine Heat Wave.” Geophysical Research Letters 44(2017).
- Joling, Dan. “Alaska Seabird Deaths Continue Trend Tied to Warming Ocean.” AP News. August 10, 2018. https://apnews.com/article/ad2b2e4da7bc4a708c66345a845a62b0.
- Mogensen, Jackie Flynn. "A New Study About the Death of 1 Million Seabirds Should Scare the Crap Out of You." Mother Jones. January 15, 2020, https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2020/01/a-new-study-death-of-1-million-common-murres/.
- Naranjo, Laura. “The Blob.” Earth Data. March 1, 2021. https://earthdata.nasa.gov/learn/sensing-our-planet/blob.
- Pershing, A.J. et al. “Oceans and Marine Resources.” in Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II (Washington, DC: US Global Change Research Program, 2018).
- Piatt, John F. et al. “Extreme Mortality and Reproductive Failure of Common Murres Resulting From the Northeast Pacific Marine Heatwave of 2014-2016.” PLOS One 15, no. 1 (2020).
- Runzel, Charlotte. "Climate Change Threatens Seabirds on Both Land and Sea." Audubon. September 24, 2020.https://www.audubon.org/news/climate-change-threatens-seabirds-both-land-and-sea.
- Runzel, Charlotte. “Climate Change Is Already Affecting the Ocean and the Birds That Rely on it.” Audubon. September 25, 2019. https://www.audubon.org/news/climate-change-already-affecting-ocean-and-birds-rely-it.
- Shankman, Sabrina. “Dead Birds Washing Up By the Thousands Send a Warning About Climate Change.” Inside Climate News. January 15, 2020. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/15012020/seabird-death-ocean-heat-wave-blob-pacific-alaska-common-murre/.
- Wilsey, C., B. Bateman, L. Taylor, J.X. Wu, G. LeBaron, R. Shepherd, C. Koseff, S. Friedman, R. Stone. Survival by Degrees: 389 Bird Species on the Brink. National Audubon Society: New York. https://nas-national-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/climatereport-2019-english-lowres.pdf
Chapter 8 - Bringing Back Nature
- Arnett, Ed. "This Invasive Species Is Fueling Western Wildfires." Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. August 28, 2020. https://www.trcp.org/2020/08/28/invasive-species-fueling-western-wildfires/.
- Battersby, Sarah. “Doug Tallamy on Widllife: No Caterpillars, No Chickadees.” (2016): Accessed February 26, 2021. https://www.torontogardens.com/2016/10/doug-tallamy-on-wildlife-no-caterpillars-no-chickadees.html/.
- Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1962.
- Donahue, Michelle. “New Research Further Proves Native Plants Offer More Bugs for Birds.” (2017): Accessed February 25, 2021. https://www.audubon.org/news/new-research-further-proves-native-plants-offer-more-bugs-birds.
- Ebersole, Rene. “How to Create a Bird-Friendly Yard.” Audubon. July-August, 2013. https://www.audubon.org/magazine/july-august-2013/how-create-bird-friendly-yard.
- Narango, Desirée L. Phone interview With Author. (August 26, 2020).
- Narango, Desirée L., Douglas W. Tallamy, and Peter P. Marra. “Native Plants Improve Breeding and Foraging Habitat for an Insectivorous Bird.” Biological Conservation 213, Part A (2017): 42–50.
- Narango, Desirée L., Douglas W. Tallamy, and Peter P. Marra. “Nonnative Plants Reduce Population Growth of an Insectivorous Bird.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 115, no. 45 (2018): 11549–54.
- Tallamy, Douglas W. Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife With Native Plants. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, 2017.
- Tallamy, Douglas W. Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, 2019.
Chapter 9 - How You Can Help
- Attenborough, Sir David. “The Life of Birds.” (1998). https://eden.uktv.co.uk/shows/life-birds/.
- Bale, Rachael, “Everyone Can Watch the Birds.” Animals Newsletter (2020): Accessed February 25, 2021. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/newsletters/animals/article/everyone-can-watch-birds-june-04.
- Klem, Daniel. Interview with Author. (September 23, 2020).
- Klem, Daniel and Peter G. Saenger. "Evaluating the Effectiveness of Select Visual Signals to Prevent Bird-window Collisions." The Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 125 (2013):406–411.
- LeBaron, Geoff. “120th Christmas Bird Count Summary.” (2020): Accessed February 25, 2021. https://www.audubon.org/news/120th-christmas-bird-count-summary.
- “Light Pollution.” Resource Library. National Geographic. July 23, 2019. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/light-pollution/.
- Lyons, Casey. “Birding While Black.” (2020): Accessed February 25, 2021. https://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/birding-while-black/.
- “Major Findings.” 3 Billion Birds. Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.3billionbirds.org/findings.
- Marra, Peter P. and Chris Santella. Cat Wars: The Devastating Consequences of a Cuddly Killer. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016.
- Mock, Jillian. “‘Black Birders Week’ Promotes Diversity and Takes on Racism in the Outdoors.” Audubon (2020):
- Morrissey, Christie A. Zoom interview With Author. (January 20, 2021).
- National Audubon Society. “Climate Change and Birds.” Youtube. 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN2-a82_3mg
- National Audubon Society. “History of the Christmas Bird Count.” Accessed February 25, 2021. https://www.audubon.org/conservation/history-christmas-bird-count.
- National Audubon Society. “Join the Christmas Bird Count.” Accessed February 25, 2021. https://www.audubon.org/conservation/join-christmas-bird-count.
- National Audubon Society. “Survival By Degrees: 389 Bird Species on the Brink.” Accessed February 23, 2021. https://www.audubon.org/climate/survivalbydegrees.
- Willingham, AJ. “These Black Nature Lovers Are Busting Stereotypes, One Cool Bird At a Time.” (2020): Accessed February 25, 2021. https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/03/us/black-birders-week-black-in-stem-christian-cooper-scn-trnd/index.html.