A Bird in the Hand

Trey Smith

Millions of birds have died and millions more are in danger from an obscure but widespread hazard in 12 Western states - uncapped plastic pipes used to mark many of the 3.4 million mining claims on public lands, wildlife advocates say.

Migratory birds from western meadowlarks and mountain bluebirds to screech owls and woodpeckers are mistaking the open ends of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, pipes for natural hollows suitable for nesting, roosting or congregating to generate body heat.

Doomed birds enter the PVC pipes, which average 4 inches in diameter and stand about 4 feet high, but become trapped as they fail to gain traction on the smooth interior surfaces and cannot extend their wings to fly out of the narrow cavities. They eventually succumb to starvation or dehydration.
~ from Mining Claim Markers Killing Millions of Birds in U.S. West by Laura Zuckerman ~

I am really confident that, if you asked most of the folks sticking these pipes in the ground, the vast majority of them would be shocked that their mundane action was causing this sort of problem. In fact, I'm sure most of them didn't think much at all about this demarcation strategy. Everybody else is doing it!

This certainly doesn't indicate that these specific individuals are uncaring or evil and it doesn't mean that, in general, they don't support wildlife. What it does indicate to me is that all of us humans too often don't consider how the ramifications of our actions potentially might impact the other life forms we share this planet with. (Heck, we often don't take the time to consider how it might impact other humans!)

We live in a world in which everything is interconnected. There is no such thing as an isolated act. Every thought, word or action has the potential to impact someone or something else. This notion always should be kept in mind. It doesn't mean we won't step on another person's or being's toes, from time to time, but it should mean that we won't look like clumsy dancers with two left feet!