In 2019, an article in the journal Science reported a 30 percent drop in bird populations (nearly 3 billion birds) in the U.S. and Canada compared to 50 years ago. This could have serious implications for our ecosystem. Birds pollinate flowers, disperse seeds, eat crop-destroying insects, and recycle nutrients.

Having fewer birds to perform these tasks will affect “how well our natural world can support life, including our own,” says biologist John Albert Uy at the University of Miami. Habitat loss and wider use of pesticides may be primarily affecting bird populations since insects are their main food source.

• William Searcy