Silent Skies
Silent Skies

Wondrous denizens of the natural world, birds are also barometers of ecological health. The staggering losses in avian populations in North America is thus ominous. In the United States and Canada, nearly one-third of the wild bird population has disappeared since 1970, a decline of 2.9 billion individuals. The loss has been even greater for some of the most common species, with more than two-thirds declines in Eastern meadowlarks and grasshopper sparrows. Driving this are phenomena like habitat loss, especially from suburban sprawl, and overuse of pesticides. Not all birds have seen the same fate, however. Notably, populations of duck and geese have actually grown since 1970 because, faced dwindling numbers fifty years ago, governments passed laws to protect wetlands and put science at the forefront of conservation policy. Now, we must act again, this time with unprecedented comprehensiveness and urgency.



MacroScope Key

up

    Bodes well for the future

down

    Bodes ill

    Ambiguous

See all MacroScopes

Journey to Earthland

The Great Transition to Planetary Civilization

Cover Image of Paul Raskin's latest book titled Journey to Earthland

GTI Director Paul Raskin charts a path from our dire global moment to a flourishing future.

Read more and get a copy

Available in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish