Hi everyone! I want to say Thank you to all my subscribers new and old! I am very happy to have you here! This week, I am talking about songbirds and sharing a few of my experiences.

Did you know that there are about 4,000 species of songbirds! In Massachusetts, where I live there are over 200 species of songbirds. What makes a bird a songbird? Well, they have a complex vocal organ called the syrinx. This organ allows the bird to produce intricate and varied songs. (National Audubon Society)

The songbirds are in danger today with declining numbers. This is heartbreaking. There are many reasons why this is the case and here are the major threats:

The biggest threat is due to habitat loss because of development, agriculture and loss of resources that the birds need for breeding and shelter.

The use of pesticides, even though they have made major improvements in this area, they are still being used. Another huge factor has been collisions with glass from cars and structures. All of these and a few other factors have been the reason for the decline. I have read in the research that there is a low risk of Avian flu to songbirds.

Is there anything we can do to help birds, and thankfully there is! We can start by helping in our own backyards and communities! Here is a list of ideas to start with: provided by Cornell Lab- Ornithology

• Add native plants to your yard, not only does it provide beauty, but it will help by providing feeding, resting and nesting places for the birds.
• Keep cats indoors, big predator for the birds
• Make windows less reflective if possible and there are lots of ideas on how to do this in the research.
• Avoid pesticides around your home and garden
• Drink shade grown coffee- this was a new one for me and I need to look into this further
• Reduce plastic use
• Monitor and do your own observing and pass the information about the birds you see in your own yard to researchers. There are many programs out there that will help you do this like – Project Feeder Watch, Christmas Bird Count and eBird. I am learning about eBird myself and I am interested in helping this way. I am taking an eBird course now.
• If possible, hang few bird feeders and provide water
• If possible, provide shelter by hanging bird houses- we have a few and we have had 2 families of Wrens and Cardinals! Also, we noticed a huge nest in a tall pine tree of Red-Tailed Hawks! I plan on adding more birdhouses to our yard.

A well said quote by the actor, Keanu Reeves-

“To me Nature is a place where you retreat whenever you feel exhausted or sad. I am more happy when I am surrounded by the song of birds than the sound of people.” I feel this way too.

As I sit in my office, my windows face the backyard, I can see and hear the birds. We are fortunate to have a diverse forest with many different types of plants and trees right behind our yard. I knew that there were many birds out there, but lately I am starting to think that we have a superhighway for birds! In the beginning of the Summer, I discovered a fantastic bird app on my phone to help in identifying all of the different bird species and their songs. It is the Merlin Bird ID by the Cornell University- Orinthology. ( note- I am not making any money from this app, and I am not sponsoring this.) It has been so much fun and educational! I have suggested this app to my friends and family and they have loved it too! Most mornings, one of our grandsons places his iPad outside to see which birds are there by using the app! I used the app myself one day and recorded the birds for an hour. I was amazed that it recorded a total of 15 different birds! Here is the list from that recording: Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinal, Common Yellowthroat, House Finch, Song Sparrow, Black-Capped Chickadee, Rose Breasted Grosbeak, American Robin, Eastern Bluebird, Grey Catbird, Goldfinch, Blue Jay, Northern House Wren, Red-Tailed Hawk, American Redstart, and Mourning Dove. I was amazed! Other bird recordings since that day has recorded, Cedar Waxwings, Chimney Swifts, Carolina Wren, Red-eyed Vireo, several different types of Woodpeckers, Chipping Sparrows, Baltimore Orioles, Barred Owl and Screech Owls. This summer has been such an eye-opener just how diverse this area is and the different species that live here.

Another frequent bird visitor to our yard has been the Ruby Throated Hummingbird. This little bird is fascinating to watch! They get a drink from the feeder then they actually take a break and rest on a nearby branch. I watched one actually rest for about 10 mins!

Birds are important to Mother Nature/Earth: Here are several reasons:

*Birds keep systems in balance

*They pollinate plants

*They disperse seeds

*They scavenge carcasses

*They eat bugs, mosquitoes

*They recycle nutrients back to the earth

*They enrich our lives

We need birds for the environment. Birds are important to us, besides enriching our lives with their beauty and song, the songs of birds assist with reducing anxiety, depression, help us improve our focus, and reduce cortisol levels. It triggers a switch to our nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system gets activated, which is our “rest and digest” response in our bodies- promoting relaxation.

Also, hearing the birds sing means safety. Man learned this in earlier days, that when the birds sing then everything is safe, and promotes calmness, and when the birds stop then there is something wrong- danger is nearby.

I love watching and listening to the birds. I am happy to help these little guys anyway I am able to. I can’t imagine not hearing all of the different songs and melodies on a daily basis. They need our help! I want my grandkids to be able to see and hear these fascinating creatures in their lifetimes too! It doesn’t take a lot of time or resources to be able to help them- you can help by providing plants that are native to your location that attract birds to your yard, do not use harmful chemicals/pesticides in your yard, provide food, shelter and water for them especially in the winter months. If you can reach out and help provide information about the birds you see in your own area, to the scientists watching the bird populations. Every Bird Counts. Cornell University School of Orinthology has a free eBird course on their website.

a few bird quotes- “Birds are the messengers of resilience , weathering storms with Grace.” Unknown

“Birds are the feathered ambassadors of Peace and Tranquility.” Unknown

“A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.” Maya Angelou

I plan on adding to this subject of birds and more of my personal experiences in future blogs!

Until next time! Get outside! Listen for the birds in your area!

Ann Marie