We all live in a fragile ecosystem. An ecosystem that is prone to heat waves leading to urgent climate crisis. Earlier, these heat waves were confined to the 3 to 4 months of summer only. But nowadays, we are experiencing their adverse impact upon all living beings year around.
Well, the humans and animals on the ground are somehow managing their survival but it is the birds of our ecosystem that are directly in the line of fire. As the birds have to travel miles in the sky, they come in higher contact with the heat waves. Coupled with droughts in the historic ranges that have now become inhabitable, we are observing a significant spike in the mortality rates of the birds in the past one decade.
According to Blair Wolf, the renowned ornithologist of the University of New Mexico, there are three principal factors contributing significantly to the increased rate of mortality among the birds. They are mentioned below -
Well to avoid these and to make a difference, we need not to be lawmakers. All we required to be are concerned and responsible citizens. We can start by helping birds that frequently arrive in our garden, backyard, balcony and terrace in search of food and water amid extreme outdoor heat.
Installing a natural stone birdbath in your vicinity can help birds find the right source of water under extreme heat. If you have a good number of birds in the area, then you can even add multiple birdbaths in garden, backyard, terrace and balcony to contribute substantially to their health and overall well being. It will not only provide enough amount of water for them to drink but also to cool down their body temperature by plunging themselves into the water and bathe. It helps them regulate the body temperature which otherwise results in the evaporation of water from their lungs and upper respiratory tract.
Clean the water in the birdbath regularly and if possible also add some ice to the water to make it cooler. Always prefer to keep the birdbath in an area under the shade to let the birds sit around, flock and preen themselves after drinking water and having a refreshing, rejuvenating bath.
Place a natural stone bird feeder in the shady area near the bird bath itself. Why we are emphasizing upon a natural stone bird feeder is the fact that it can easily withhold the weight of small to medium sized birds without falling down from its designated spot.
Always arrange quality and nutritious food for the birds to properly fill their belly and provide them with enough energy to fly a long distance after a comfortable stay at your premises. You can add fruits, nut seeds, peanuts, black oil sunflower seeds, seed cakes to mention a few. You can even seek expert opinion about the meal from an ornithologist or a veterinarian by specifically mentioning the local birds that arrive in your area and bring change to the meal according to the climate and their dietary behavior.
Always provide a comfortable space for the birds to sit in your garden and backyard. The best way is to install a few monolithic stones around the birdbaths and bird feeders. It will not only enhance the aesthetics of your garden and yard but offer sufficient height to sit around without worrying about predators on ground. Also minimize pruning of the trees as much as possible so that birds can get sufficient number of branches to sit in shade as well as to build nests. Indeed, your arrangements should be such that both local birds as well as the birds seeking midday refuge can get benefit out of them.
Always coordinate with other community members to spread awareness about the creation of food and water bodies for the birds. Also, try to use your collective influence to convince the local government for the plantation of native plants in the municipal landscape. Also, campaign for the creation of native plant corridor for the local birds and insects with adequate amenities for them.
Buying quality natural stone birdbaths, bird feeders and monoliths is very important because of their placement outdoors. Whether you are buying birdbaths for garden, birdbaths for backyard, birdbaths for terrace or birdbaths for balcony, it is important to shop for the products that can withstand extreme weather conditions outside including heat, snow, storm and rain. You can only expect such a durability from stone bird baths, bird feeders and monoliths. There is no other material that can offer quality even closer to it. Reach stone bird baths to come across a plethora of birdbath collections that can work wonders with natural décor aesthetics as well as superb utility for the birds.