Birds are everywhere. We see them flying in the skies, foraging on the ground and floating across the water. While they go about their daily activities, they're contributing far more to their environment than most realize. Birds ensure flowers and plants spread and grow and insects and animal species stay under control. They help maintain balance within their habitat — without birds, entire ecosystems may collapse.
Learn how birds interact with their environment and the profound effects they have in this article. Understanding their role in ecosystems helps highlight their importance for the planet and the human race.
Plant Pollination
Over 75% of flowering plants and 35% of food crops need animal pollinators — like birds, bats and bees — to reproduce. Pollination is vital to any ecosystem, as it helps plant life flourish and maintains valuable food sources for humans and other animals.
In the United States, the most common bird pollinators are hummingbirds, orioles and sunbirds. These birds fly up to flowers to drink nectar, which provides the energy they need to live. While they flit around the flowers, their beaks and bodies get covered in pollen. As they fly to the next flower, they transfer the pollen and fertilize the plant, allowing it to produce seeds and fruit.
Seed Dispersal
Most birds in the U.S. eat fruit and seeds, including robins, thrushes, tanagers, orioles and sparrows. Their diets play a significant role in forest and plant life maintenance and regeneration as they aid seed dispersal. When birds eat fruit and seeds, the seeds end up in their droppings. As they fly across the country and even cross over to other continents, their droppings spread seeds and help grow new plants.
Some birds — like jays, chickadees and nuthatches — help with seed dispersal in a different way. They forage for nuts and seeds and store them in trees and underground for the winter. If the bird forgets about a cache, these seeds germinate and grow into new trees and plants. Regardless of the method, seed dispersal is essential for spreading plant species and restoring forests and habitats. Birds are so crucial to some plants that if a bird species goes extinct, the plant may disappear, too.
Insect Control
Another way birds help regulate ecosystems is with pest control. Insects like moths, mites, caterpillars, aphids and beetles damage plants by feeding on their leaves, roots and stems. Some insects also transmit plant diseases, viruses, bacteria and fungi. These threats can kill the plant or significantly stunt growth.
While pests are only mildly inconvenient in your backyard, insect infestations in crops can significantly reduce yield, which reduces the farmer's income and causes delays in the agricultural industry. While pesticides are an option, they can be harmful to humans and the environment. This is where birds come in — various bird species eat insects, helping to control their population and reducing damage to plants.
Herbivore Regulation
Along with eating common pests, some bird species also regulate smaller animal populations. Avian predators — including eagles, owls, hawks and falcons — are carnivores and must eat meat to survive. They often prey on fish, reptiles, birds and smaller mammals like rats, mice and rabbits.
Birds of prey are crucial to ecosystems because they help maintain the delicate balance of life. When a herbivore population grows above average, it requires higher food levels. If the environment cannot meet the new demand and no predators are around to reduce their numbers, their abnormal consumption can make certain plants go extinct and cause devastating damage to their habitat.
Soil Health
Birds play a vital role in the nutrient cycling process, which refers to the transfer of nutrients between the environment and the animals within it. As birds eat plants and animals within their habitat, they gain essential nutrients that fuel their bodies. Their droppings — also called guano — become a powerful fertilizer full of nitrogen and phosphorus that boosts plant growth. In particular, seabirds are highly effective at promoting soil health, as they eat fish and sea creatures and then nest on land. They bring large concentrations of nutrients to areas that may not otherwise have enough.
Birds can also aid with the decomposition of plant matter. Various birds often scratch on the ground as they scavenge for food, tearing up plant matter and dead invertebrates. Breaking up this matter and mixing it with the soil can decompose and return nutrients to the soil faster. This process also aerates the soil, giving roots better access to air and water and more space to grow.
Ecosystem Engineering
Birds are wonderous engineers whose daily activities change the landscape around them. Birds work hard to create nests for themselves in different locations, from nests high up in the trees to deep underground. While these nests are important for their survival, birds aren't the only ones to benefit from this hard work. Various mammals, insects and reptiles often take over abandoned nests.
Woodpeckers are crucial ecosystem engineers, too, as they create cavities in trees from their pecking. These holes often fill up with sap, creating a source of food for other sap-eating animals. The cavities are also a place for other birds and creatures to live.
Environmental Health Indication
Birds are incredibly sensitive to changes in their environment, particularly with temperature and food supply. As climate change advances and temperatures rise, birds change their foraging and migration behavior. As such, studying their behaviors and patterns is a useful indicator of the effects of climate change.
Observing birds is also helpful in understanding overall ecosystem health. Because birds are so sensitive to their environment, scientists can study the population of bird species to assess how human land use — such as for forestry and agriculture — affects their habitat. Drops or increases in bird populations resulting from a change in their food supply can indicate issues with soil health, plants and other animals in the ecosystem.
Birds are also relatively easy to see, count and identify. Researchers and citizens alike can contribute to environmental efforts by monitoring birds in their area and tracking any changes.
Create a Healthy Backyard Ecosystem With FeatherSnap
As birds offer various services to their environment, having abundant bird life will greatly increase the survival of other species in the area. By maintaining a healthy environment and paying attention to birds, we can ensure the survival of entire ecosystems and help life flourish.
An easy way to make a positive impact on the area around you is to install a bird feeder. Bird feeders provide a safe and consistent space for birds to receive nourishment. You can also plant and nurture bird-friendly plants in your backyard. Discover which plants are best for birds in your area to help protect specific species and make a difference.
If you're interested in bird and environment conservation, consider purchasing a bird feeder from FeatherSnap. Our camera-equipped bird feeders are your window to the wild, allowing you to watch the birds that visit through our smartphone app. The app also helps you identify your feathery visitors using AI and fill up your LifeBook with unique photos and videos.
Buy a FeatherSnap bird feeder to get started today!
