maybe nobody cares about this, but what's happened to all the birds? Over the last few years I have

[Bill USA]

noticed the number of birds falling off dramatically. This year I hardly see or hear any birds. This is just a WAG but I'd say their numbers are down about 90%.. I don't know if anybody cares but what if this is a canary in the coal mine thing?? You used to hear them making a racket in the morning chirping to beat the devil. NOw, nothing!

I used to hate it when they shit on my car (especially right after i washed it!). But hey, they are a part of nature after all.....

Anybody else notice this??

[tularetom]

1. We have more songbirds than ever but the game birds seem to be dwindling

Dove season opens in a couple weeks and I'm not optimistic that it'll even be worthwhile to bother.

[oldandhappy]

2. pesticides

[ladjf]

3. I've noticed the same thing. Five years ago, there would be hundreds of swifts flying

around up high, then there were numerous songbirds, i.e. finches, bluebirds, crows ,robins, sparrows,
and many others. This year I might see a dozen birds an hour visiting my feeders.

[Cleita]

4. Yes. I have too. I always had nesting birds around in the spring. I didn't notice one

nest or young bird learning to fly this year. The drought I believe has driven them away. I still have birds around and birds migrating through, but not as many. Also I had many butterflies ten years ago, bees and lady bugs. Now I have practically none. I still garden organically and put out water for the birds and critters, but it hasn't made a difference. What is happening with climate change is far beyond what little I can do and now that we have to cut down our use of water, it will be worse.

[Nite Owl]

5. Don't know where you are Bill USA

but we have so many birds they need air traffic control.

[Bill USA]

8. maybe you're on one of the flyways or near a large nesting area - you know, wetlands type of thing.

i'm in an urban area. I just wondered if others had noticed this, to see if it is more than a localized thing. It sounds like from others comments - some far better informed than mine - that this is a widespread, though not necessarilly universal, thing.

They have been talking about missing bee colonies. i just thought the 90% drop in the number of birds I have seen was startling and may be symptomatic of something serious.

[broiles]

6. I think they have all come to my house. I even have road runners.

and I am in the city limits.

[Bill USA]

10. Road Runners!! Jeez, amazing! Never seen one in person. (just on tv running from Wile E. Coyote!)

[MADem]

7. All the wild turkeys are on vacation on Cape Cod...

They're fearless, too.

[SamKnause]

9. Not sure where you are located in the U.S. Bill ???

I live in Seaman, Ohio.

I live on a 12 acre farm, surrounded by a very large family farm.

I have many many birds.

Many different species.

They are very vocal !!!

I see very few honey bees, even though my yard is filled with clover flowers.

[Bill USA]

14. well maybe it's cuzz I'm in a large urban area then. But clover and no bees? that's the empty hive

syndrome... not good.

I looked on Google maps and see that you are near the Ohio river. Very green rolling countryside there. Nice! (Jonnie Winters family's territory).

[SheilaT]

11. I'd say I'm seeing as many birds as usual in

my little corner of the world, Santa Fe, NM. Not to mention the pair of swallows that are this year occupying the nest built five years ago in front of my front door, seem to be laying more eggs and getting ready to raise a second family. Can't be sure because the nest is too high up next to the roof that it's not possible to see inside it. And these are far and away the two stupidest birds ever to occupy that nest.

I see various other birds around also.

[notadmblnd]

12. I don't knowa turkey chased my car down the street last week

followed me right up the driveway and wouldn't let me out of the car. His three hens were in the front yard so I guess he was protecting his harem.

[Bill USA]

15. lol. maybe you need a remote garage door opener. Sounds like MADem's observation

http://www.democraticunderground.com/112773675#post7

[OnlinePoker]

13. You might want to say where you're at.

Here on Vancouver Island, I've had tons of birds this year, including species I've never seen in my back yard (cedar waxwings being one).

[yeoman6987]

16. I don't know about birds but the deer are out of control

They are everywhere. I almost hit one coming home from work again. They have zero fear of a car and will dart out from behind the bushes of someones home. It is terrible. The human deaths are horrible.

[NickB79]

17. All their habitat has been converted to cornfields for ethanol. NT

[Nihil]

18. Hmm ...

I was going to simply but, on reflection, there's too much truth in it to do anything but ...