Sure, baby birds are cute (albeit sometimes in that “face only a mother could love” kind of way). But they are also a touchstone that brings much of Audubon Florida's work into sharp focus.
Baby birds make science meaningful to the public, partners, and decision-makers. They are also an important measure of the effectiveness of our conservation actions and define the urgency of our advocacy. It’s not enough to have adult birds survive, we need them to reproduce.
The success or failure of a bird’s nesting season tells us a lot about the future of that species. Populations of some long-lived birds might take years to show declines. Monitoring bird breeding behavior helps Audubon scientists identify and respond to threats. Some protection strategies take years to have an effect. That’s why Audubon is invested in birds for the long haul.
Bird conservation requires helping species meet all the requirements of each stage of their life histories. The times in their lives when they have the least margin for error are some of the most important for our attention, like nesting season.
Thank You and Happy Mother's Day!
By Jonathan Webber
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