Why Birds are Important
Nowthat youhave some general knowledge about birds, you may wantto make a list yourself
of how you think birds are important. Just think about your daily living and how birds play
a role. Do you eat chicken or turkey at meals? Do you have pet birds? Do you enjoy going
out in your backyard or for a walk and listen to the beauty of birdsong or see the iridescent
plumage of a bird in the sun?
What are some other economic uses of birds? One is the harvesting of guano (droppings) for
use as fertilizer. Another is the use of chickens as an early warning system of diseases, such
as West Nile Virus, that affect humans. In the latter example, mosquitoes carry the West
Nile Virus, bite young chickens and other birds, and infect them with the virus. The first
human cases of the virus usually follow the first appearance of infected birds within three
months. Blood samples from young chickens can be tested for the presence of antibodies to
the virus, and if detected, then this is an early warning that human infection can follow.
What about how birds can be important ecologically? For example, some nectar-feeding
birds are important pollinators, and many frugivores, or fruit-eating birds, help disperse
seeds. Birds are often important to island ecology, since they can easily reach islands. In
New Zealand, the Kereru and Kokako are important browsers (animals that eat or nibble
on leaves, tender young shoots, or other vegetation) and seabirds enrich the soil and water
with their production of guano (Figures14.9and14.10).
Figure 14.9: The Kereru is an important browser species in New Zealand. ( 15 )Finally, let’s not forget that birds have had a relationship with humans since the dawn
of humanity. Sometimes, as in the cooperative honey-gathering among honeyguides and
African peoples such as the Borana, these relationships are mutualistic, where both benefit.
Birds also play prominent and diverse roles in folklore, religion, and popular culture, and