Our Bedford Field Notes – Birds program was a resounding success. With nearly every seat filled, the energy in the room reflected just how deeply birds connect us—to nature, to science, and to one another. The evening blended eye‑opening science with practical, hopeful actions, leaving attendees inspired long after the last question was asked.
The program featured Dr. Andrew Farnsworth, Visiting Scientist, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and Budd Veverka, Director of Conservation & Stewardship, Mianus River Gorge in a conversation with “CBS Sunday Morning” correspondent David Pogue, seven-time Emmy winner, five-time TED speaker, host of 20 “NOVA”science specials on PBS, creator of the CBS News podcast “Unsung Science.”
Beyond the buzz of the crowd, the program sparked meaningful reflection about the state of bird populations and the role each of us can play in supporting them. Here are some of the most memorable and motivating take‑aways from the evening.
Surprising Facts We Learned
The science and stories shared during Bedford Field Notes – Birds revealed just how interconnected birds are with our landscapes—and our own well‑being.
North America has lost nearly 3 billion birds in the last 50 years. This staggering decline is driven largely by suburbanization, changes in forest structure, and intense deer browsing that removes the forest understory birds depend on.
Listening to bird songs can actually lower your heart rate. Birds don’t just benefit ecosystems—they measurably support human health and emotional well‑being, too. Birding is far more mainstream than many people realize.
About 100 million people—roughly one in three Americans—spend at least part of their week watching birds, whether at a feeder, on a walk, or through a window.
Things You Can Do to Support Birds
- Reduce light pollution, especially during migration periods – pull the shades on your windows at night and use downlighting in your garden vs. uplighting, which disorients the birds. Ten million birds pass over Westchester at night every spring.
- Prioritize native plants that support insects (critical bird food)
- Support citizen science by using apps like eBird and Merlin to log the birds you encounter. The data helps scientists understand bird ranges and population changes.
- Let parts of your yard stay a little messy — leaf litter and dead tree snags become insect buffets for the bird food chain.
- Consider putting decals on windows to reduce bird collisions.
- Clean your bird feeders regularly (and wear gloves).
- Avoid herbicides, which kill the very bugs birds rely on for food.
- Keep your cat inside – cats kill 2.4 billion birds annually in the US alone.
