Living in harmony with songbirds in Petaluma

As spring is in full swing, wildlife advocates are urging Petalumans to be aware of the visiting feathered creatures that become part of the backdrop of the season, taking extra precautions to ensure a peaceful coexistence with migratory birds that make temporary homes around the city.|

As spring is in full swing, wildlife advocates are urging Petalumans to be aware of the visiting feathered creatures that become part of the backdrop of the season, taking extra precautions to ensure a peaceful coexistence with migratory birds that make temporary homes around the city.

Veronica Bowers, a Petaluma native who’s the director of Native Songbird Care and Conservation, a Sebastopol-based organization that cares for about 1,000 injured songbirds annually and promotes conservation efforts, said that more than 40 percent of her patients come from Petaluma. She said the birds are a vital part of the ecosystem, and small tweaks to daily practices can make it easier for residents to help promote the success of the federally-protected animals.

“Many songbirds have flown thousands of miles to get here to raise their young and leave, and a lot of things we do as humans conspire against them having a successful breeding seasons,” said Bowers, who was also involved in a 2013 lawsuit against Caltrans for the death of cliff swallows during the construction at the Highway 101 bridge over the Petaluma River that resulted in a $5.5 million effort to bolster precautions to keep birds from nesting at the site.

From March to September, Sonoma County is home to more than 90 different resident or migratory songbirds, according to the Madrone Audubon Society. Bowers said this month is part of the peak season where birds migrating from Central or Southern America are building nests or securing territories, with babies hatching in late May through June. Birds stay through the summer before beginning to leave in waves at the end of August, she said.

Since some birds nest anywhere between three and 10 feet off the ground, Bowers advised that property owners attempt to refrain from trimming trees or heavily clearing hedges and brush until September if possible, or take caution to determine if the often well-concealed nests are tucked away in the foliage before trimming.

Bowers added that cat owners can take extra precautions to keep their animals away from birds, potentially utilizing outdoor enclosures known as “catios” to keep pets in check. She said educating children to “look but don’t touch” baby birds is also key, adding that a large number of birds misguidedly raised by hand arrive at her facility at summer’s end.

She said a product such as “BirdSlide” a plastic sheeting that prevents birds such as cliff swallows from making mud nests on structures, as well as other non-hazardous, non-lethal barriers are also effective ways to prevent some birds from nesting in the first place. Removing active nests is illegal, according to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and state codes.

She said baby birds can often be seen hopping around on the ground before they can fly, adding that her organization provides a comprehensive guide and advice to those who find a baby or adult bird about the correct process to handle the situation. During peak season, she works with her 12 volunteers at her licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility to take care of as many as 200 babies concurrently.

She said songbirds play a role in a variety of natural processes, including planting seeds, pollinating and keeping pest populations in check.

“Songbirds are suffering a tragic plight, the population is in decline for a variety of reasons - they’re a poster child of conservation,” she said. “They do so much in a natural world to keep the ecosystem healthy. Were we to not have any songbirds, we’d be in a dire predicament.”

Petaluman Susan Kirks, a past president of the Madrone Audubon Society, which was also involved in the Caltrans lawsuit, said it’s important for locals to understand to importance of coexisting with songbirds in the area’s abundant wetlands, creeks and grasslands.

“We live in a time where an intelligent decision can help prevent nesting and also help property owners or building owners take actions that are not going to harm wildlife,” she said.

(Contact Hannah Beausang at hannah.beausang@arguscourier.com. On Twitter @hannahbeausang.)

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