Upon returning home from looking for birds on the Hillsborough Christmas Bird Count, I happened to read Ralph E. Buchanan's letter to the Editor (Guardian, Dec. 28), headlined "Are P.E.I.'s birds disappearing?" It made me think about conversations I had with friends during the day on that very subject.

Many older birdwatchers have told me that some species of birds have seriously declined on the Island. Before the uproar from the scientific community begins, let me say that I am not an expert and there is no definitive proof of this. We have no idea how many birds should be here, and even though at Macphail Woods we have done several breeding bird surveys, we do not have the scientific data to back up such claims. That's the disclaimer. Now for the common sense.

red-breasted nuthatch.

The types of things people tell me on walks through the woods are quite "measurable". Bird songs so loud that it woke them up in the morning. Telephone lines being covered with birds (and not the European starlings that we see today). Clouds of swallows flying overhead. It is not that the songs are a little quieter, the lines have a few less birds, the "clouds" are a bit smaller. The changes have been drastic, and while exact numbers can not be attached, the differences are noticeable.

Many properties that have been regularly surveyed for bird populations in Eastern North America report drastic declines in certain species of migratory songbirds. There is no question that robins, starling, pigeons, crows, some species of gulls are doing very well. These birds tend to be generalists, adapting well to urban situations and breeding prolifically. Other species, such as the vireos and many warblers, appear to be in trouble. The reasons are many - loss of forest habitat in tropical wintering grounds; threats to these birds on migration routes; the creation of edges (whether from forest cutting or development) that favour predators and nest parasites such as racoons, cats and cowbirds; loss of habitat in breeding areas; pesticide use; and most likely dozens more.

John Terborgh, an ecologist at Duke University, points out some disturbing facts in his book "Where Have All the Birds Gone". Citing changes that have increasingly occurred in tropical forests, he worries that "with our woefully inadequate data base, we may not discover that something is amiss until it is too late."

So is it happening here on this island? Let's get back to common sense. Many species of birds are losing habitat. We keep cutting our forests and creating edges, while doing nothing to ensure large blocks of forest remain intact. We are cutting down hedgerows at an alarming rate. The dramatic increase in pesticide use should be setting off alarms with nature lovers throughout the province. Again, it makes sense that you can not keep pumping poisons into an ecosystem without doing serious damage to wildlife populations. We have seen the floating fish at Profitt's Pond and other waterways. These are clear indicators that something is seriously wrong, though they are only the tip of the iceberg. Are earthworms concentrating poisons, and are there many left in many areas? What about the caterpillars that make up a large part of the high-protein diet of young nestlings? Do they contain pesticide residues?

The temptation to point the finger at people in the tropics cutting down forests, often for their very survival, should be tempered until we in the wealthy northern breeding grounds look after our own backyards. If we can not afford to treat our ecosystems with respect, who can?

So what can we do to turn this around? Unfortunately, the solutions are not new - they are just rarely practiced. We should all treat this Island as if we were part of the natural system, working with the ecosystem and with respect for all parts of that system. We need to hire ecologists and Integrated Pest Management specialists to assist farmers in reducing pesticide spraying. Large blocks of forests dedicated to preserving a wide variety of bird and plant species are attainable if the political will is there. We have to cut forests in a truly sustainable manner and not let the market and government policies dictate the rate of cut. And we have to care about this place we live in.

Anyone wanting more information on this subject can contact me. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Washington has produced a slideshow on migratory songbird decline which is available through ECO-PEI and reprints of magazine articles on songbird decline are on file at our office. As well, I would be very interested in speaking with birders who have noticed a decline in species over the years.

I hope the words of Mr. Buchanan and others will help us take an objective look at our situation and begin to turn things around. If we keep denying that there are problems, this resilient ecosystem may literally be stretched to the breaking point. Many species of wildlife have already become extinct in this province. Several other species are presently facing serious threats. Let's not wait until it's too late to take action.

By Gary Schneider
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