Why there’s hope, despite bird population declines
While migratory bird populations are decreasing, ornithologist Peter Marra says there is still hope because “nature is extremely resilient.”
Birds do a lot for our ecosystems, including pollinating plants and controlling pests, but a study from the journal Nature indicates that more than half of all migratory bird species are in decline.
Marra, the lead author of the study, told Horizons host William Brangham that the “good news” is that this has happened “multiple times” before.
He cited the early 1900s, when egrets almost went extinct until Teddy Roosevelt created federal bird reservations.
“It turns out nature is extremely resilient, and when given the chance, it comes back,” Marra said.
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