I can think of no better way to wake up in the morning than to the music of birds. Granted, they wake up a lot earlier than I prefer, but their song and poetry makes it easy to drift back into a sweet morning sleep. I’m incredibly grateful for the presence of birds. I have lived where they are silent and rare and it truly makes for a dismal day.

So how are our avian companions doing these days? Due to contaminants in the environment and habitat loss (i.e., tearing down stands of trees to build shopping malls), our fine feathered friends are not doing so well in the United States. That’s the bad news. The first ever State of U.S. Birds Report makes this clear.

But the good news is that with appropriate land management, habitat restoration and and wetland conservation, we can make a great impact towards population comeback, to keep our valuable and beloved bird populations not just surviving, but thriving. Check out the State of the U.S. Birds Report for more information and see how you can help birds where you live.

Image: tibchris