There are several major threats that have been ongoing for birds to this day, but the main environmental issue that has brought the most impact is habitat loss. Overall, habitat loss has been affecting various species throughout the decades, leading to a lot of organisms, such as birds, being endangered or already extinct. Trending human activities such as urban and infrastructure developments, the extraction of natural resources, and agricultural activities have also created an increase in degradation and fragmentation (Birds Canada, n.d.). As this continues, not only are we lacking in green spaces, but a wide variety of birds have been trying to relocate to these urban areas to make a living for themselves. This, however, has its benefits and disadvantages. 

By looking at the bright side, some birds would find these areas similar to their natural homes. For example, pigeons used to live on cliffs from mountains or rock surfaces, but now they can use buildings as an alternate habitat. In other cases, there is an increase in resources that attracts birds such as leftover food, spare nesting places from trees or buildings, and the proportion of trees being made in urban areas (Isaksson, C. 1970, January 1). Yet, on the other hand, there are also some birds that are rarely seen in our local area. These birds either live in the wild completely and prefer not to live around urban places, or it’s the sole fact that urban factors have affected some species that caused a decrease in population. This can include not only habitat destruction, but also noise pollution, predators, and poor nutrition in foods (Birds Canada, n.d.).

It is essential to analyze both perspectives to understand the consequences of all bird species because they bring a huge impact on the ecosystem that affects both terrestrial and aquatic life (Birds Canada, n.d.). As more birds continue to disappear, it shows proof that we as humans have stressed and ruined our ecosystems, but when we make positive changes, it brings a sign that we have found a way to protect our wildlife and our planet (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, n.d.).

From contributing to this project, my goal was to keep track and find a deeper understanding of these species such as how often they appear and their habitat preferences. This website features a brief summary of my findings (blogs), along with some documented photographs taken from me (gallery). Happy exploring!