[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 73 (Thursday, May 24, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E926]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    INTERNATIONAL MIGRATORY BIRD DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT A. BORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 24, 2001

  Mr. BORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of International 
Migratory Bird Day (IMBD), which was officially celebrated on Saturday, 
May 12, with hundreds of events across the country including one at 
Philadelphia Zoo.
  International Migratory Bird Day celebrates the annual return of 
millions of birds from wintering habitats in Latin America and 
emphasizes that the continued enjoyment of these birds depends upon our 
actions as consumers, homeowners, and citizens. At least 200 species of 
birds migrate to, from and through Philadelphia each year.
  In addition to the sheer enjoyment of watching them, migratory birds 
are important biological indicators of ecosystem health as well as 
sentinels for potential human health risks. Their populations are 
declining dramatically due to the destruction and degradation of their 
habitat throughout the Americas. Making small changes to some of our 
daily habits can contribute to the conservation of migratory birds and 
their habitats, as well as the planet's overall health.
  One small change is drinking shade-grown coffee, which helps protect 
habitat for migratory birds. According to experts at the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, the way coffee is grown can have a direct effect on 
many of the birds we see in our neighborhoods each spring. Coffee farms 
or plantations that leave a canopy of shading trees (``shade-grown 
coffee'') benefit migratory birds by providing habitat for their 
wintering grounds in Mexico, Central and South America, and the 
Caribbean. The Wilson's warbler, scarlet tanager, northern oriole, 
indigo bunting, and wood thrush are among the dozens of migratory birds 
that spend part of their lives in the U.S. and that winter in the 
coffee-growing regions of Latin America.
  Encouraging our local coffee shop or grocery store to carry shade-
grown coffee is one way that each of us can make a difference. Another 
way is becoming more informed about migratory birds and the threats to 
their habitats through involvement in bird watching and other programs 
such as those at Philadelphia Zoo. The Zoo's involvement in avian 
conservation dates to before the opening of its original Bird House in 
1916. More recently, scientists at Philadelphia Zoo have played a major 
role in the conservation of the American bald eagle. Once on the brink 
of extinction due to the use of the pesticide DDT, which was banned in 
the 1970s, the bald eagle is a national conservation success story. The 
Zoo's pair of eagles was brought to the Zoo by wildlife rehabilitators 
when it
  Today, America's First Zoo is building a new Avian Conservation 
Center that will feature state-of-the-art exhibitions and research 
facilities illustrating the diversity of the world's bird populations 
and their varied habitats. A central focus will be the challenges of 
conservation and preservation of rare species like Micronesian 
kingfishers, which are extinct in the wild. A key aim of the Center is 
to increase visitor awareness of avian conservation and issue a 
``conservation call to action.''
  We can also encourage innovative public-private partnerships such as 
the bird conservation initiative that was announced at the Zoo, when 
City and U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials met to formally recognize 
Philadelphia as the third Migratory Bird Treaty City in the nation.
  I applaud the City of Philadelphia, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, and Philadelphia Zoo for their efforts to promote the 
conservation, habitat restoration, protection and hazard reduction of 
migratory birds, and all those organizations and individuals 
celebrating International Migratory Bird Day.

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