Birdcalls in the morning are becoming quieter. As the sun rises, these chipper friends often rise too, welcoming the start of the day. But now, our morning singers are at risk of disappearing completely — and it’s thanks to Trump’s Environmental “Protection” Agency (EPA). Determined to protect profits above everything else, the EPA has rolled back restrictions on pesticides that are so toxic, they’re actually illegal in many parts of the world. Farmers are particularly fond of neonicotinoids, which have been linked to massive bee population loss, and they’re also taking a toll on our avian friends.
They apply poisonous neonicotinoids to their crops by treating the seeds before planting — meaning that birds eating these seeds are immediately exposed to the deadly toxins. Even when the seeds have become a full-grown plant, the noxious chemicals remain in every part of the crop, ready to kill future animals. In one U.S. county where eonicotinoids were used, bird populations dropped by more than 2% compared to other areas where safer pesticides were used. The U.S. and Canadian bird populations combined have plummeted by almost 30% in the past 50 years. But because these toxins have long, lasting effects on bird populations like owls, sparrows, and meadowlarks, we likely won’t know the true magnitude of the devastation for years. Sign the petition and demand that the EPA immediately ban the use of neonicotinoids in the U.S.!