Ecuador's Shiny Cowbirds are flying to new heights, and that spells trouble for Vulnerable and Endangered bird species. According to a new study published in Biodiversity Data Journal, the Least Concern Shiny Cowbird has expanded its territory both in longitude and latitude.
And it's all our fault.
“Such a significant expansion of reproductive birds, of approximately 500 m, could be related to human disturbances, like forest fragmentation or climate change,” notes Dr Verónica Crespo-Pérez, a professor at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (PUCE).
The Shiny Cowbird is a brood parasite, meaning that it relies on other host birds to raise its chicks by leaving its eggs in other nests. Considering that the Shiny Cowbird is responsible for driving the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird to Endangered status in Puerto Rico, it's easy to see why conservationists fear their presence.
Human activities in Ecuador are directly and indirectly driving the Shiny Cowbirds to new heights, and they're thriving -- but other birds aren't as adaptive. Sign and share this petition urging Ecuador to keep its lowlands hospitable for Shiny Cowbirds in an effort to protect Vulnerable and Endangered bird species.
Photo Credit: Lip Kee Yap
