TITLE:
A wing and a prayer.

AUTHOR:
Hinrichsen D.

SOURCE:
SCANORAMA. 1995 May;:60-5.

ABSTRACT:
In the early 1960s Rachel Carson published the book "Silent Spring", which stated that poisonous agricultural chemicals, especially pesticides, were wiping out entire populations of seed- and insect-eating birds. However, 3 decades later it has become clear that the real cause of wildlife extinction is loss of habitat. This paper demonstrates the impact of destruction of natural habitats on the world's migratory birds. It is noted that migratory species are dependent on the health of ecosystems at both ends of their migration routes; thus, they are threatened by the loss of their favorite habitats. In Europe and North America, prime breeding habitats have been lost to urban and agricultural expansion. Wintering habitats in the developing South have been lost through the destruction of tropical forests, wetlands, and savanna. Other forms of elimination of migratory birds include shooting and liming by local hunters, and agricultural development. Although a number of well-meaning initiatives to conserve this group of species have been implemented, the future of these birds is still bleak.

YEAR:
1995

PIP#:
151045