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Introduction

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Birds are masters of survival and have adapted in many ways to outrun and outwit predators. One especially interesting adaptation is their ability to learn the language of other birds. These bilingual baddies can respond to the alarm calls of different species, according to a report from Kyoto University's Hakubi Center for Advanced Research by Toshitaka N. Suzuki. The study examines whether birds can form a "search image" for specific predators based on the alarm calls of other bird species. 

One bird that relies on alarm calls is the Japanese tit, a small passerine bird native to Japan,  often found searching for bugs in the trees of forests and parks. They are known for their vocalizations and are often the prey of tree-climbing snakes such as Japanese rat snakes. Reports in the past have shown that animals with shared predators have been able to alert one another of danger by listening to each other's calls, allowing them to understand other species partly. Suzuki's study found that this is also true for different species of birds. 
Suzuki observed that  Japanese tits use their skill for vocalization to make a specific call to alert for snakes, specifically to evoke a visual image of the predator. This not only clearly warns Japanese tits to flee the area but other birds as well. Suzuki noticed that, in particular, a closely related bird, the coal tit, fled at these calls regularly, following the behavior of the Japanese tits.  

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He wondered if these other birds were able to understand that the call was meant to warn specifically for snakes. In order to figure this out, Suzuki set up an experiment. He tested the hypothesis that eavesdropping on alarm calls produced by Japanese tits evokes a visual search image of a predator in a similar species of bird, the coal tit. Since coal tits are attacked by the same types of snakes as Japanese tits, coal tits were expected to look around  for and pay attention to snake-like objects only when hearing these calls. These two species of birds, while taxonomically similar, use vastly different calls, essentially speaking their own language. Suzuki attracted a coal tit by broadcasting Japanese tit snake alarm calls from a speaker hung on a tree. This showed that these birds likely visualize the animal they are being warned of, making the calls function something similar to specific words. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Not only is this behavior present in Japanese and coal tits, but in other birds as well. In 2018, Dominique A. Potvin, an ecologist affiliated with the University of Zurich, published a study asking a similar question to Suzuki. He investigated whether fairy-wrens can learn to recognize and respond to new alarm calls based on specific vocalizations. Very similar to Suzuki, these researchers used playbacks of alarm calls to test the responses of birds and found that they associated the alarm calls with specific predators. This group, however, also wanted to see if the birds could learn new languages or calls that they had never interacted with before, so many of the recorded alarm calls they used to test their theory were new to the fairy-wrens. Initially, the birds did not respond as expected, hinting there is no universal code between all bird calls, but instead began to learn after seeing a predator what each call meant. Then, they were able to react appropriately, checking for the correct predatory behavior and location before fleeing to safety. 

This learning behavior is interesting because, combined with Suzuki's ideas, it means that birds aren't born with the ability to know other birds' languages but that they are able to learn new languages as they are introduced. While the coal tits fly around the forests of Japan looking for bugs, they might be keeping an ear out for calls they hear regularly, and learning what they mean, gaining new tools for survival. 

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Not only are certain birds well known for their communication skills, but so are many other animals, from dogs pressing buttons to chimpanzees communicating in sign language. In fact, Sabrina Engesser conducted a study on monkey vocal systems in 2015. This meant that the monkeys were able to use different vocalizations to differentiate between objects and that the recorded vocalizations were not random but had specific meanings. 

Often judgments of animal intelligence are based on how well animals can learn to understand human languages, centering us in the web of communication. These studies show that animals have their own languages and impressive learning capabilities and are able to understand and define specific calls from species with similar goals (running away from tree snakes looking for a snack). In the long run, we may be able to learn more from these birds and identify patterns that Suzuki hopes can become the basis of a powerful speech acquisition model. Over time this can become more and more developed and may be used to loop humans into the ways of communication shared by the natural world. 

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Understanding the complexity of bird communication can foster a deeper connection with nature and promote the importance of conservation efforts. By caring about birds and their remarkable linguistic skills, we can become closer to life on Earth.

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The Issue

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Over the last few decades there has been an alarming decline in the population of many types of birds. This has attracted the attention of environmentalists and scientists. As they worked together to investigate the cause of this dramatic change, the clues began to point towards the use of pesticides and herbicides in agricultural practices. But there was already so much damage, with no sign that it would stop or slow as countries rely heavily on pesticides in order to make sure crops to eat aren't eaten before they are sold. By understanding the problem and its root causes, we can work towards implementing effective solutions to maintain and foster the diverse avian species that inhabit our planet.

The problem is not that pesticides are being used, but the effects that the ingredients can cause in birds. In a research study conducted by Catherine Parsons in 2010, the overuse of pesticides in rice fields has ended up being particularly detrimental to avian species. The study shows that there can be reduced breeding success, impaired immune systems, and even mortality among birds. In addition, a recent article shows that pesticide and herbicide use has been shown to be the primary cause of bird decline in Europe. These sources show that this problem is dangerous and expanding, and since the birds can’t make the pesticide use stop, we need to.

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The impact of pesticide use extends across bird populations all around the world. Parsons conducted her research on rice fields, which is actually an essential habitat for many bird species. The study showed that not only were the local bird’s health impacted greatly but also the migratory birds were impacted as well since they often stopped by for a place to rest on their journey. 

The research study titled "Effects of Pesticide Use in Rice Fields on Birds" sheds light on the impact of pesticide applications in rice habitats and their consequences for avian species. The study highlights the growing use of agricultural wetlands, including rice fields, by waterbirds due to the decline of natural wetlands.

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The researchers examined the historical use of pesticides such as DDT, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, technical HCH, toxaphene, endosulfan, and sodium pentachlorophenate, as very common for rice crops. Endosulfan and HCH are still used today and are very popular. They also looked at cholinesterase-inhibiting insecticides which are very toxic to birds, and have ended up poisoning many. 

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Because rice and rice cultivation is so popular the amount of these chemicals used is substantial, causing a myriad of issues in the surrounding nature from water pollutants to the death of native plants in addition to the adverse effects on birds and other animals. In order to address these concerns the researchers proposed management techniques to mitigate these effects, emphasizing the importance of adopting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles and utilizing less toxic products, promoting less reliance on toxic chemicals. The research team sets an excellent example by not only looking at the current visible effects of the chemical being used today but also looking at the impacts of practices long abandoned that still remain. When chemicals are used in such vast quantities they can take years, many decades to fully go away, even after the usage of them has stopped. 

The effects of this issue have long been documented, and have started many movements. In 1964,

 

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Rachel Carson published Silent Spring, a book that shows nature being compromised by pesticides, especially DDT.  It is widely considered one of the most influential books in the modern environmental movement. It made the case that if humans poisoned the earth it would poison the people back. The book was named Silent Spring as she warned that if the use of pesticides continued, the spring could become eerily silent without the chirping and singing of birds:

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"And no one can afford to ignore the knowledge that silent spring means silent streams, poisoned fish, and unhappy children."

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The book generated widespread awareness about the effects of pesticides and played a crucial role in influencing the government's creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970.

The problem with pesticides is just as relevant now 50 years later as it was back then. Many policymakers and companies are putting their business and competition ahead of not only the future of the birds, but the future of themselves and every system of nature. Without change, our current businesses and political advancements will become obsolete as the issue of climate change  grows past the point where we can make a change. 

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So what can we do?

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The first step is finding where the problem stems from and who is in control. For this case, there are multiple controlling factors. First is the normalized use of agricultural practices that significantly contribute to the widespread use of pesticides. Across the world, large farming operations rely heavily on pesticides to get more crops, to cope with issues such as overpopulation and business competition, which can inadvertently hurt birds in the process. In addition many government agencies play a big role in the regulations regarding the use of pesticides. In the past, the US Congress has taken notice of issues relative to bird conservation and have been willing to act, such as in the case of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Endangered Species Act. Measures such as these may allow for action to be taken on a much larger scale.

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This issue has been a large part of life for all birds for a long time and no matter what path we choose to help, the most important factor is to act fast and let other people know what to do. Birds are a vital part of of life on earth and they deserve to be protected in any way we can.

 

Solution 

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One way to globally address the issue of pesticide effects on birds would be to use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) which is

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“an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices”

 

according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a federal agency responsible for regulating pesticides. IPM focuses on minimizing the use of pesticides and incorporating various pest control methods such as biological control, crop rotation, and habitat manipulation. 

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The IPA based programs take into account life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment around them. This is combined with a pest control method and used to find the most ecological and economical way to take care of the problem with the least amount of harm. 

IPM is practiced in four steps. The first is setting action thresholds. Before taking any action against what is harming the crops to be protected, IPM users define a point where they believe the pest problem is large enough for them to take action. For example, if there were only a few bugs spotted eating fruit from the trees, pesticides may not need to be immediately sprayed. Only when the bugs became prevalent enough to cause economic harm is when a farmer might take action. 

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The second step is to monitor and identify pests. IPM programs work to identify which pest and which accurately to see if there could be real harm to the crops or not. This can make sure that pesticides need to be used or not used multiple times by making sure they are the right kind. The third step is to prevent pests from the get go. This could mean rotating crops, selecting pest-resistant varieties, and planting pest-free rootstock. This all poses very little environmental risk.

The last step is control, where IPM programs evaluate the most effective and least risky control methods, and try them best to last, taking into account environmental, and economical effects. This could be trapping, highly targeted chemicals, or weeding. General use pesticides are saved as a last resort.

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I think that policymakers and farmers alike would be more interested in this idea over others because it does not necessarily limit the use of pesticides and takes economical value heavily into account as well as environmental. If the use of pesticides can be a last resort there will be a dramatic effect. 

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A more individualized solution to prevent pesticide use might be the use of social media for activism. There have been numerous movements supported by social media, ideas that have spread through networks via flier or hashtag, such as #savethebees, raising awareness and mobilizing individuals to take action. This could also be done for the issue of pesticide effects on birds. Individuals could play an active role supporting bird-friendly farming methods and promoting sustainable alternatives to pesticide use. IPM could be explained to large populations through a hashtag or wave of activism. Through hashtags like #ProtectOurBirds or #BirdFriendlyFarming, people could support and spread these ideas as far as the farmers and legislators who would eventually need to decide on it while grabbing the attention of many people.

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In addition to social media campaigns, people can make a difference by adopting bird forward ways of thinking in their everyday lives, by supporting organic farming practices, purchasing organic and locally sourced produce, and creating bird-friendly habitats in their own backyard.

 

Counterargument

One alternative perspective on addressing the issue of pesticide effects on birds is the argument that the economic benefits of general use pesticides outweigh the harm caused to bird populations. This would maximize crops and economic gains for farmers, and support more food for more people. Lack of food is another important issue millions of people face everyday, and losing food to pests can impact the yield of crops greatly. Many people would put that issue before the issue of some bird populations being affected by pesticide use. This would also allow food prices to stay stable and affordable as they can be for people in poverty. 

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By keeping prices low, the rate of poverty will not increase as fast as it could without the use of general pesticides, which in turn could allow people to spend any extra money on personal ways to improve the issue of climate change, which is arguably more important than both pesticide use and poverty. 

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However, pesticides can accumulate in the environment, affecting climate change, and  the overuse of them can lead to more resilient pests, requiring even stronger chemicals or increased application rates, making environmental issues worse. However, using IPM programs can lead to economic savings through reduced pesticide purchases and improved crop productivity. 

 

 

Works Cited

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Griswold, Eliza. “How ‘Silent Spring’ Ignited the Environmental Movement.” The New York Times, 21 Sept. 2012, www.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/magazine/how-silent-spring-ignited-the-environmental-movement.html. Accessed 13 June 2023. 

“Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/integrated-pest-management-ipm-principles. Accessed 13 June 2023. 

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Suzuki, Toshitaka N. “Other Species’ Alarm Calls Evoke a Predator-Specific Search Image in Birds.” Current Biology, vol. 30, no. 13, 2020, doi:10.1016/j.cub.2020.04.062.

 

Engesser, Sabrina, et al. “Experimental Evidence for Phonemic Contrasts in a Nonhuman Vocal System.” PLOS Biology, vol. 13, no. 6, 2015, doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1002171.

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Potvin, Dominique A., et al. “Birds Learn Socially to Recognize Heterospecific Alarm Calls by Acoustic Association.” Current Biology, vol. 28, no. 16, 2018, doi:10.1016/j.cub.2018.06.013.

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Parsons, Katharine C., et al. “Effects of Pesticide Use in Rice Fields on Birds.” Waterbirds: The International Journal of Waterbird Biology, vol. 33, 2010, pp. 193–218. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40891077. Accessed 26 May 2023.

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Yirka, Bob. “Use of Pesticides and Herbicides Found to Be Biggest Cause of Bird Decline in Europe.” Phys.Org, 17 May 2023, phys.org/news/2023-05-pesticides-herbicides-biggest-bird-decline.html. Accessed 25 May 2023. 

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Williams, Zach. “NY Bill against Pesticides Explains Importance of Birds and the Bees.” New York Post, 1 May 2023, nypost.com/2023/05/01/wild-ny-bill-explains-importance-of-birds-and-the-bees/. Accessed 01 June 2023. 

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