Save the Birds

In case you need another reason to eat local and pesticide-free, here's a book by Dr. Bridget Sturchbury of Canada's York University that reports that our food choices are affecting populations of songbirds.

Silence of the Songbirds (HarperCollins Canada, 2007) explores the causes of songbird decline, including destruction of habitat, urban sprawl and the heavy use of pesticides on food crops in the birds' winter feeding grounds of Latin and South America.

If you're in the D.C. area on April 24, stop by the Bird Fest 2008 at the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park where Sturchbury will present "Migratory Songbirds: Canaries in the Mine?" and be available to sign her book. RSVP is required for attendance.