According to a recent article in The
New York Times an experiment was conducted in Australia to
test the impact of dogs on wild bird populations. Three scenarios
were observed: a dog being walked down a trail; a human walking
alone down a trail and no activity on a trail. Birds were then
counted to see the impact of each scenario. After a dog went
down the trail a 35-40% reduction in bird populations was noted,
even though the dog was walked on a leash. There was only a minimal
reduction in birds when the person walked the trail alone. The
conclusion by researchers is that even though the dogs posed
no threat to the birds, the birds evaluated the presence of four-legged
potential predators as a threat and left the area.
This is potentially bad news for canine
hikers. Many of the best places to hike with your dog are nature
preserves and wildlife sanctuaries, often controlled by birdwatchers,
of which there are an estimated 51 million in America alone.
So stay out of areas that ban dogs for bird nesting and as we
head into bird migration season, respect the birdwatchers you
meet on the trail with your dog.
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