Conservation Charity’s Site Tracks Fatal Attacks on Birds

Pet owners may consider the dead birds that cats leave on their doorstep just one of the quirks of owning a cat. But the American Bird Conservancy says that, added together, those offerings represent a significant pressure on bird populations already struggling with the effects of habitat loss, pollution, and pesticides.

To get a better handle on the problem, the conservation group, located in The Plains, Va., has started Project PredatorWatch, a sort of online neighborhood-watch program through which people can report incidents of birds or other wildlife that have been attacked by a predator.

The Web site asks a series of questions, including what type of animal was attacked and whether it died, what type of animal the predator was, the date and time of day the incident took place, and whether there were bird feeders or birdbaths nearby.

Of the 500 incidents reported since the project started in December, 345 involved birds that had been attacked. Cats were responsible for 63 percent of all incidents, while hawks accounted for 27 percent. Two thirds of the incidents took place in close proximity to a bird feeder or birdbath.

The conservancy acknowledges that the information gathered by the survey will be anecdotal, but hopes the survey results will suggest connections that will be helpful for future scientific studies and public-education campaigns.

To get there: Go to http://www.abcbirds.org/cats.