They are the ultimate representation of freedom and natural beauty, and although we can get lost in their poetic charm, birds are much more than that, They are a very important pillar not only in their ecosystems, but also in the nutrient cycle from which our food comes. The importance of birds lies in the simple fact that we need them much more than they need us.
Importance of birds in the natural world
Birds control pests
It may not be a widely recognized fact, but the biodiversity of insects represents a large portion of the total life that inhabits the planet and like everything in nature, their numbers are controlled thanks to the balance of the food chain. To say that Without birds we would be invaded by insects It sounds crazy, but there is some truth to it; Without the birds disappearing, the natural cycle would be broken and their prey, which are mainly insects, would reproduce uncontrollably.
Birds eat annually, it does not require much imagination to know that without them, the natural balance would be broken and the numbers of insect populations would get out of control.
The flora also depends on them
Often when we think about pollinators, the first thing that comes to mind are bees and birds, but there are also species of pollinating birds such as hummingbirds and honeyeaters, which are responsible for pollinating flora, especially at high altitudes or warm climates. About 5% of the food consumed by humans is pollinated by birds. so its presence is vital for man too. The most compelling evidence is that currently, 31 species of Hawaiian bluebells appear to have become extinct along with the bird species that pollinated them.
And that’s not all, when it comes to spreading seeds, birds also play a crucial role. Many species of birds feed on plant seeds and are responsible for spreading their seeds through their excrement when they travel long distances.
Although we have very rarely stopped to reflect on the vegetal landscape that we know today, the truth is that birds have served as its sculptors. It is thanks to them that we can see the fields as they are today.
But not only the flora depends on them, most of the seabirds also depend on them. play a crucial role in maintaining the Seabirds travel hundreds of kilometers to feed and when they return, they deposit layers of guano in their colonies. This guano seeps into the ocean and fertilizes nearby communities of
An important role in understanding evolution
Since ancient times, man has been amazed by the ability of birds to rise through the air at dizzying speed and how they can use their aerodynamics to perform almost impossible maneuvers. This is why science has taken them as a clear example to develop and thanks to this, humans have been able to fly emulating the gliding characteristics of birds.
But the importance of birds is not only reflected in science in this way, but it is thanks to them that the naturalist Charles Darwin managed to understand the mechanism of natural evolution. Darwin observed a group of finches from the Galapagos Islands, which were the ones that finally gave him the key to developing his magna opera.