Billions of Birds Have Vanished in a Generation | The Walrus

"There are 3 billion fewer birds in North America than half a century ago. Five hundred million fewer in Europe. Seventy-three million fewer in Britain. Worldwide, almost 50 percent of bird species are in decline."

"Absence is harder to track and feel than presence. The ghosts of gone birds fade quickly from memory. Shifting baseline syndrome habituates us to sparser skies."

"Noticing is the first step to naming—naming the first step to knowing both things and the relations between things. Knowledge may lead to wonder, wonder to care, care to action, action to change."

Bird populations in North America have decreased by 3 billion over the past fifty years, with Europe seeing a reduction of 500 million. In Britain, 73 million fewer birds are present. Almost half of all bird species globally are in decline. The once common species are now rare, leading to quieter dawns and springs. Historical accounts illustrate the abundance of bird life that has been lost. Awareness and knowledge are crucial for fostering love and action towards bird conservation.

Read at The Walrus