Recently, the 2025 U.S. State of the Birds report was announced. As you may expect, science and conservation organizations have reported a continued widespread decline in American bird populations.

The decline is across all of our mainland and marine habitats. The report revealed that 229 species are in need of urgent efforts in conservation. That is even worse than the 2019 study showing that there had been a loss of 3 billion birds in North America over the last 50 years.

In a recent column I noted that two lengthy hikes in prime habitat in Carbon County left me very disappointed in an apparent loss of some once rather common bird species. They were birds such as scarlet tanagers, rose-breasted grosbeaks and wood thrush (migratory passerine birds).

The report showed that more than one-third of U.S. bird species are of high or moderate conservation concern. Forty-two of those species have extremely low populations, including some hummingbirds and not surprising, birds like the salt marsh sparrow and piping plover due to the loss of more and more coastal nesting and breeding areas.

Some larger birds, in particular many waterfowl species, are not to be forgotten as their numbers are also declining. We have drained many wetland areas where they breed, feed in migration or where they overwinter.

It is not too late for us to begin and/or continue habitat restoration and conservation.

Locally, although maybe a drop in a bucket, a significant amount of forest land along the Blue Mountain was purchased and then transferred to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. This forested habitat, along a key migration area for songbirds and raptors, will offer feeding areas that are so crucial. The best news is that the land will be protected through perpetuity.

I have been particularly disappointed with the amount of forest, grasslands and farmlands being lost to construction of warehouses, sometimes as large as 1 million square feet. (As you drive through areas just to our south, note how many warehouses that have been built). Even more ironic, note how many have “For Lease” signs. Some of them have remained empty for years.

Solar farms, certainly a cleaner form of producing electricity, can be destructive if we clear 500 acres of forest (in a local township) to erect solar panels.

I think local municipalities, and all of us, should carefully consider where we will place them. Maybe they can be placed on reinforced rooftops of warehouse already in place. Why take away crucial habitat and, even worse, carbon dioxide gobbling forests, which are so important in reducing the greenhouse effect.

Our songbirds also must somehow in their nighttime migrations find a way to navigate around glass walled skyscrapers and apartments in our cities like Chicago, New York and even Philadelphia. Massive forest fires in Canada have not helped either in the past few years. Millions of acres have been lost.

Remember, it doesn’t happen overnight, but within a few years those forests will regrow and bird species may find even better conditions to breed. That forest regeneration can’t happen if we cover once good habitat with blacktop and sprawling warehouses.

I try to avoid these controversial topics but I believe we all need to see that if bird populations are dropping, that serves as indicators of threats to human welfare as well.

Test Your Outdoor Knowledge: Which raptor species has recently been placed on the endangered species list in Pennsylvania? A. peregrine falcon; B. American goshawk; C. American kestrel; D. Broad-winged hawk.

Last Week’s Trivia Answer: Brown trout were introduced here from Europe and were not native to the U.S.

Email Barry Reed at breed71@gmail.com