Humans everywhere take over new territories, and these places tend to
become inhospitable for native birds. This is an established pattern,
and mostly unavoidable, as we are larger and more powerful, and wild
animals don't matter much to us. Sure, we tell cute stories about wrens
nesting in mailboxes, but when the territorial push comes to shove, we win.
        There are some examples of birds successfully adapting to our
dominance. Birders who live on the seacoasts are seeing adaptations
among seabirds in which large colonies of terns, gulls, and skimmers
adopt roofs of buildings for roosting and nesting as humans crowd
coastal settings. In Ohio, nest sites of black and common terns which
once were fairly common are pretty much gone, but today's nesting
gulls--herrings and ring-bills--have established colonies on urban flat
roofs near the Lake, and even in a few industrial sites inland as far as
the Ohio River.
        Raptors are a different story. Swallow-tailed kites were once common
here, but probably a lack of nesting sites was the least of the reasons
for their extirpation. Public servants, especially those who admire
raptors as fellow hunters, have lately undertaken successful restoration
projects to accompany legal protections for nesting falcons, bald
eagles, kestrels, and ospreys, which are now present in good numbers,
numbers that in some cases may rival those of days gone by.
        The smaller birds, as usual, are less often noticed or valued.
Yes, there are supporters of efforts on behalf of bluebirds,
hummingbirds, purple martins, etc.---mostly showy species that share our
own home territories. Still, others show precipitous declines in numbers
elsewhere. Just ask the oldest birder you know. Even starling numbers
are in decline. Nesters can be neglected by listers looking for migrant
birds of remote origin, but they are the ones for which we should feel
extra responsibility.
Bill Whan
Columbus

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