The Importance of Birds

In nature. Each species of animal in a woodland, grassland. or other natural area depends on other living things in the environment fro food. In a woodland, for example, some birds get their food mainly from plants. Others chiefly eat small animals, such as insects or earthworms. Birds and birds eggs, in turn, serve as food for such animals as foxes, raccoons, and snakes. The feeding relationship among all animals in an environment help prevent any one species from becoming too numerous. Birds play a vital role in keeping this balance of nature.Birds also serve other purposes in nature. Fruit eating birds help spread seeds. The birds eat and digest the pulp of berries and other fruits but pass the seeds in their droppings. The seeds may sprout wherever the droppings fall. Hummingbirds pollinate certain flowers that produce nectar. hummingbirds feed on nectar. As they visit flowers in search of it, they spread pollen from flower to flower.Many kinds of birds help farmers by eating weed seeds, harmful insects, or other agricultural pests. Unlike birds that feed on fruits, seed-eating birds digest the seeds they eat. One bobwhite may rid a field of as many as 15,000 weed seeds a day. Many birds eat insects that damage farm crops. Some birds are especially helpful in keeping the number of certain kinds of insects under control. Robins and sparrows, for example, are highly effective against cabbage worms, tomato worms, and leaf beetles. Rats, mice and rabbits can cause huge losses on farms by eating stored grain. Hawks and owls prey on this animals and so help limit the extent of such losses.A few kinds of birds are considered to be pests. One such species, the European starling, was introduced into the Northeastern United States in the 1890′s. The birds multiplied and spread rapidly. Today, starlings are so numerous in many cities of North America that hey had to become a nuisance in large number of cities because of their droppings. Flocks of starlings and pigeons leave masses of droppings on buildings where the birds have been roosting. The fungus Histoplasma capsulatum can grow on these droppings. The spores of the fungus may be carried in the air and who inhale them.