Tragically, birds die senseless deaths because of the carelessness and thoughtless acts of humanity discarding plastic and litter into the environment.
Birds help us celebrate the individuality and beauty of nature by representing the possibilities in life through freedom of flight with precision, elegance, and grace.
But instead, birds often represent the carelessness of humanity and the perils of death by thoughtless acts.
Rescuing a Baby Osprey
Recently intoBirds’ favorite falconer and wildlife rehabilitator, Christine Peyreigne, owner and operator of Christine’s Critters, a wildlife rehabilitation center in Weston, Connecticut for birds of prey, responded to a call about a baby Osprey hanging upside down at its nest platform.
Christine teamed with the CT ECONN police, and the local fire department to bring the bird down safely.
But sadly, the damage had already been done.
Plastic is a Peril for Birds
The Osprey’s leg was tangled in a 10” piece of plastic twine, and it cut through the bird’s leg as it struggled to get free.
The bird was dehydrated, emaciated and lost a great deal of blood. The injuries suffered to its leg were too extensive, and the baby Osprey sadly passed on shortly after the plastic twine was removed.
The baby Osprey never had its chance to fly and now is a beautiful soul far too soon.
This bird suffering death from a piece of plastic litter is not acceptable.
We cannot let litter destroy our planet and kill nature.
Saving Wildlife from Plastic and Litter
Everyday items we use are the culprits.
Plastic bottles.
Plastic bags.
Bottle caps.
Cigarette lighters.
Plastic rings from six-packs of soda.
Fishing lines and hooks.
Monofilament lines from weed trimmers.
And These
Long ribbons.
Kite strings.
Beer and soda cans.
Gum.
Tin cans.
Cups and jars.
Balloons and balloon strings.
Tree mesh wrappings.
Lead-based items such as bullet casings or fishing sinkers.
All these these items carelessly discarded by humans become lethal to birds when ingested or wrapped around their limbs and wings causing slow painful deaths.
Unnecessary Deaths.
Small Piece of Litter is Devastating for Birds
One small piece of litter may not seem like much, but even minor amounts of litter can be devastating to birds in many ways.
It’s important we understand how irresponsible actions cause harm to nature to practice more responsible trash disposal to keep the environment clean and safe for birds and other wildlife.
Scary Facts About Plastic
Here are a few frightening facts:
-Plastic water bottles take 450 years to decompose
-Fishing lines and nets take up to 600 years to decompose
Why would we want to carelessly throw these items into our environment?
How Litter Impacts Birds
Poisoning: Toxic litter, such as lead bullet casings or fishing sinkers paint chips, or cigarette butts can poison birds if ingested.
Digestive Blockage: Plastic litter and rubber balloons look like food to foraging birds, but cannot be digested.
The materials stay in the digestive tract and block the passage of food until the bird starves to death.
Injuries: Shards of glass, plastic or tin injure birds that swallow them and cut into the throat or intestines and cause hemorrhages.
Fishing line, kite string, balloon string, and tree wrapping become wrapped around birds and cause cuts or amputations to the wings, legs, feet or neck.
These injuries are often fatal.
Birds often use these materials in nesting, and hatchlings can be strangled or injured just like the baby Osprey.
Habitat Loss: Heavily littered areas are unsuitable for nesting, feeding or shelter, and birds to seek out less desirable areas to survive.
Litter contaminates water sources, and the polluted ground is less likely to support insects or seed- or fruit-bearing plants birds need as their food sources.
Attracting Predators: Discarded food that is left as litter can attract predators such as rats, feral cats, raccoons and foxes that prey on birds or nests.
Rotting food can create bacteria that cause illness in birds or attract other detrimental pests.
READ: CATCH FISH, NOT BIRDS WITH FISHING LINE
How You Can Make a Difference
Approximately 1 million seabirds die from plastic, according to Ocean Crusader.org.
One plastic bag can kill numerous animals because they take so long to disintegrate.
If we all took a few small steps to modify our daily routines we can help protect birds.
Steps You Can Take to Save Birds
Practice the Three R’s: Reduce, reuse and recycle.
The less litter produced, the less there will be to affect the birds.
This includes recycling at work, schools and in the home, as well as promoting community and retail programs to reduce waste materials.
And when you’re out for a walk, pick up litter you find.
How to Help
Be sure to dispose of trash properly in tightly closed bags that are less likely to break and scatter litter, and make sure trash cans will not tip or spill.
Buy reusable canvas grocery bags to cut down on plastic bags.
If you buy six-packs of soda or beer strung together by plastic rings, cut apart all sections, including the inner diamonds.
If you spot discarded fishing line, pick it up, so it doesn’t become embedded in birds’ skin or beaks.
Responsibly dispose of tin cans by crushing them or folding the tab back to block the hole on the top.
Never spit gum on the ground.
Instead, wrap it in paper or dispose of it in a receptacle, so the gum doesn’t become matted in an animal’s fur or feathers.
Responsible Actions Go a Long Way
Remind friends and family not to release balloons into the atmosphere. What goes up must come down.
Consume fewer single-use items like drinking straws and take our containers.
And recycle those items you do use.
Volunteer for beach, stream, lake, and roadside clean-up efforts.
Support wildlife rehabilitation organizations like Christine’s Critters so if birds of prey become injured they can be rescued, rehabilitated and returned to the wild where they belong.
Once you understand how litter affects birds and take these few simple steps to reduce the problem, we can protect birds and provide a safer, beautiful, litter-free environment for both wildlife and humans to enjoy.
And a baby Osprey, like the one Christine tried in vain to save, will be able to take flight and grace us with their beautiful presence.
Protect the birds, and we protect the earth.
Let’s all coexist