Return to Home
Birds in Our Daily Life
by Biol. Oscar S. Aranda Mena |
 We are so accustomed to birds and everything they represent, that we do not even realize it. They accompany us in the morning, over breakfast, while driving to work, as we speak while we eat and even during sleep. Birds are part of our lives more than we realize.Right Under our Noses Without realizing it, virtually every day, birds are present in our lives: most of us had eggs for breakfast or at least ate something that was made with eggs; such as cakes or desserts, while, with a little luck, our daily lunch included something made from chicken, turkey, etc. Every morning, birds give us a morning greeting, confirming that a new day has begun and that, on the other side of the window, the world keeps on turning. And as the world turns, we think of them almost unconsciously, repeating phrases and sayings as "a stool pigeon", "to have eagle eyes", "better a bird hand…" "The early bird gets the worm", or "a little bird told me", and of course in sunny Mexico, we welcome many "snowbirds" every year", Looking out the window, whether at home, the office or in the car, we always see birds flying across the sky, and always knowing that each tree has at least one bird fluttering among the branches. Thus, for most of us (if not all), birds are an indispensable part our daily lives, not only because of the food they provide us, but perhaps more than any other living creature on earth, they are a manifestation of life; wild and free, around us, (except, course, those birds in cages as domestic pets), for even the simplest sparrow is a real wild child. No More, No Less Extraordinary If we think about it for just a moment, birds are so special and extraordinary unlike any other living organism. But thanks to their habits, shapes and colors, we humans can identify with some parts of their lives, because they perform everyday activities such as ours, but with some unexpected and often comical variations; inspiring the human mind and evoking feelings of awe and reverence, such that they have now become part of our history, our society, and finally our evolution as human beings.  But what has our Admiration Done for them lately?It's hard to believe that our lifestyles have become so dependent on the exploitation of the natural world that even by our daily activities are destroying birds and their ecosystems at a rate never seen before. Of about 10,000 different species of birds on the planet, it is estimated that about 1,200 species will inevitably become extinct in this century alone, and with them, all the countless past and present everyday relationships we have with birds. What if their songs were actually pleas? Perhaps trying to tell us that although their survival depends on us, we depend on them on in equal measure. So we should instead think of the value of birds as equivalent to their beauty and grace. And we should allow them to re-inspire us today as they did our ancestors; to see through their eyes and begin to understand the complexity of land ecosystems and thus begin to solve the increasingly severe environmental challenge we are facing. It would be nice to understand their language. So listen more attentively. Surely we could learn much from birds and their cheerful and free way of life. So, I ask: "What do you think?" |
Other spotlights |