Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

General Discussion => General Forum => Topic started by: silvestris on January 17, 2024, 10:38:32 AM

Title: Birds
Post by: silvestris on January 17, 2024, 10:38:32 AM
A disturbing trend.

https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/bring-birds-back/
Title: Re: Birds
Post by: Greg Massey on January 17, 2024, 10:42:18 AM
I was thinking this pass deer season I don't see near the numbers or variety of birds as I have seen in the past and this includes those nasty black birds ...
Title: Re: Birds
Post by: Yoder409 on January 17, 2024, 12:18:10 PM
Started to read the study.........  Pretty intensive read.   :z-dizzy:

It seems to be just a quantitative study.  Not delving into a whole lot of what they feel the reasons are.  If I were a betting man, it'll be turned into another "global warming" thing.

Would like to see 3 things mentioned that will probably get back burner treatment....

#1.  Avian influenza

#2.  House cats (The Audubon Society estimates 1.5 - 3.5 BILLION birds per YEAR are killed by house cats)

#3.  This study was based on 1970 bird populations.  RAPTORS got total protecton in......(drumroll)..... 1969.  Raptors are one of only two groups of birds to show an INCREASE during the window of the study.   Just sayin'........   ::)
Title: Re: Birds
Post by: Will on January 17, 2024, 01:21:59 PM
A single seed dipped in pesticides can kill a songbird. Seeds for major crops are dipped and coated in neonicotinoids (also known as neonics), a class of pesticides that are toxic to pollinators, including bees and birds. Neonic-coated seeds are poisoning and even killing wildlife.
Title: Re: Birds
Post by: Yoder409 on January 17, 2024, 01:30:29 PM
Quote from: Will on January 17, 2024, 01:21:59 PM
A single seed dipped in pesticides can kill a songbird. Seeds for major crops are dipped and coated in neonicotinoids (also known as neonics), a class of pesticides that are toxic to pollinators, including bees and birds. Neonic-coated seeds are poisoning and even killing wildlife.

DEINITELY another contributing factor............along with OTHER modern farming techniques.  Then there's urbanization.  Forestry practices.  Exploded populations of nest predators.........

More options than a Rubik's cube.

The reason I listed the first ones I did is because they don't fit the typical modern-day "scientific" political narrative as well as global warming, forestry, modern ag and some of the others.
Title: Re: Birds
Post by: Will on January 17, 2024, 02:13:12 PM
100% Yoder. This drew my attention a while ago when I started reading about numbers of birds being found dead around bird feeders in the Delmarva area. Some were contributing the seeds the farm industry uses that are dipped in pesticides. I wondered if or how this affected the turkeys too.     
Title: Re: Birds
Post by: RMP on January 17, 2024, 02:31:21 PM
The proliferation of Brown Headed Cowbirds (BHC) hasn't helped.  BHCs are growing in numbers.  They form huge flocks in winter.  They are aggressive and drive other birds off food sources.  They are also brood-parasites.  They lay their eggs in the nests of other birds.  If the other bird discovers the BHC egg and throws it out, the female BHC will destroy the enitre songbird nest in retribution.  They really are horrid birds and have siginficantly contributed to the decline of songbirds.

http://conservationframework.tamu.edu/media/47708/trapping-cowbird-tpwd.pdf