Felines on the Prowl

I watched two cats stalking birds in the neighborhood this morning. One was after a Chipping Sparrow and another had its eyes set on a Gray Catbird. As the summer avian breeding season winds down, the bird population should now have doubled. This increase in numbers, especially of young, inexperienced birds, makes it far easier for cats to make a kill.

Approximately two-thirds of homeowners let their feline pets wander outside. Cats are natural predators, and every year millions of birds fall prey to domestic cats that roam free outdoors. Cats were domesticated by humans and as a result, the responsibility lies with the owner who should keep their feline friends indoors.

Birds face enough problems as a result of human interference. Wiping out top predators has led to over-browsing by deer, which leads to habitat loss and drastic declines in bird populations. Forest defragmentation results in increased nest predation from squirrels, raccoons and even Blue Jays. Birds that once felt safe, well away from the forest edge, now become vulnerable to Brown-headed Cowbirds and cats.

For more information on what you can do to keep your cat indoors, please visit the American Bird Conservancy website www.abcbirds.org and their Cats Indoors campaign.