2018 is the Year of the Bird

 

© Lisa Marun

2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), and this is a year for celebrating the protection that birds have received as a result of this federal legislation. It is also a time to take action to counter the recent weakening of the MBTA.

Birds are ubiquitous and often ignored as background noise in the busy lives of those in fast-paced urban environments. Pigeons, gulls, and sparrows are commonly seen and often under-appreciated compared to more exotic and/or colorful species. And yet, all birds have very specific and important functions within the ecosystems where they live—even those that are commonplace and at times considered to be pests. As pollinators, birds play a special role in supporting the global food supply and in the pollination of wildflowers. Birds exist at various levels in trophic webs; they are both predators and prey, scavengers and food for scavengers. 

Help build a better world for birds by taking a simple but meaningful action each month. Visit National Geographic’s Year of the Bird website to join people around the world who are making a difference by taking action to protect birds today for future generations. And be sure to join Audubon to Vote for the Birds (and other wildlife and the habitats they live in) this fall!

And if you’re in the San Diego area, stop by the Georgina Cole Library in Carlsbad to see Birds of a Feather. The exhibition features a set of bird portraits that remind Lisa that both everyday and exotic birds are worth taking an extra moment to observe and appreciate. This collection of images highlights the quirky behaviors, subtle details, and beautiful forms and feathers of birds. The exhibition runs through the end of October.

To view bird images, visit the Feathers and Wings page. To purchase prints, please contact me with a description of the images you would like, or with your request for a specific type of image that you are looking for in this series.