Where's the birds?

[Topaz]

I'm just wondering if any of you have noticed a reduction in the bird population in your area. In my area, we have many wind turbines and I've noticed there's no birds! We've always had many birds around from spring to fall and even had the Canada Geese, ducks etc. fly over on their way south. It completely quite, no sounds of birds. I'm not saying its the wind turbines but its either them or like the bees disappearing, maybe the birds are eating things that have pesticide on them and dying. Thoughts?

[Guest]

Last year for the first time since I moved to my current location in 2006 we had no Redpolls, and no Pine Grosbeaks for the whole winter. Not one.

Other birds have been seen as frequently as other years, though.

Except hawks. They were down a bit this year.

[AngusThermopyle]

The latest research shows that Turbines are decimating bat populations. These things are quite the destroyers apparently.

[overthere]

Our bird population is in direct relation to the number of predators in the neighbourhood.

The main predators are magpies and jays and myself. The first two decimate smaller bird populations, and the last predator noted affects the big bird numbers.. Every couple of years I borrow a pellet gun and adjust that balance. The songbirds seem to appreciate my efforts.

[Wilber]

Cats are a big problem in many areas. We have noticed a big decline in song birds over the past 20 years. Spring mornings used to be full of bird calls. Not any more. No wind farms around here.

[GostHacked]

Urban sprawl can have an effect. Technology (signals in the air, microwave ect). Also many buildings and other structures are using methods to prevent birds from nesting (spike strips, wire mesh). I would bet a lot of factors are contributing to it. But over all yes,the birds have been declining. I have noticed that as well.

[Mighty AC]

It seems that cats and buildings do most of the killing.

http://www.treehugger.com/renewable-energy/north-america-wind-turbines-kill-around-300000-birds-annually-house-cats-around-3000000000.html

[Guest]

And yet, I know of environmentalists who own cats!

[Wilber]

Cats have a purpose keeping mice and other critters under control on farms and in barns but the real problem is the millions of house cats that are just let out to hunt.