What's that bird? Merlin Bird ID app works magic
CBSN
Scientific evidence suggests dinosaurs met their extinction through asteroid impact. Today, if a species goes extinct, chances we as humans had something to do with it. In this century alone, we've lost animals by sea (such as the smooth handfish), by land (the Northern white rhinoceros), and, yes, by air (the ivory-billed woodpecker), all driven to extinction.
"Birds are really important because they are indicators of environmental health; basically, what's good for birds is good for humans," said Jesse Barry, program manager of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at Cornell University.
"Birds are really the canaries in the coal mine in a lot of ways," she said. "They're helping us understand the health of the planet. Right now, all the indicators are pointing to bird populations declining. And so, that's a really critical warning sign for us right now."
