Why Birds Matter

On behalf of the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society Board of Directors, chapter members and friends, we thank the Otsego County Board of Representatives and the Solid Waste and Environmental Concerns Committee for recognizing the importance of birds through the passage of the following resolution at the October 3 County Board meeting.

RESOLUTION NO. 271-20181003

 RESOLUTION – PROCLAIMING 2018 AS THE YEAR OF THE BIRD IN OTSEGO COUNTY

 MCCARTY, KENNEDY, KOUTNIK, LAPIN, FARWELL

WHEREAS, 2018 marks the centennial year of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act which protects over 1000 species of birds, including birds in our Delaware and Otsego County backyards such as the Eastern Bluebird and the Northern Cardinal; and

WHEREAS, migration flyways in Delaware and Otsego Counties play a critical role on a national scale for migratory raptors including Golden Eagles (NYS endangered species); and

WHEREAS, almost 1/3 of New York State residents enjoy birdwatching and contribute close to $1.5 billion  per year to our economy through expenditures; and

WHEREAS, the Delaware River Basin is home to one of the largest and most successful Bald Eagle breeding populations in North America; and

WHEREAS, Delaware and Otsego County’s natural resources support more than 230 bird species; and

WHEREAS, eagles, egrets, ducks, flycatchers, warblers, and a myriad of other species nest and or migrate through our region; and

WHEREAS, birds are present in every environment, urban or rural, wetland, grassland and forest and are an ever-present reminder that nature is all around us; and

WHEREAS, Climate change is the number one threat to birds; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Otsego County Board of Representatives hereby proclaims 2018 to be Year of the Bird and urges all citizens to take due note of the observance and to support preservation of this valuable natural resource now and for future generations.