top of page
Search
  • Tara Smith

When Did I Become A Bird Nerd?!



Ummmm, when did I become a bird nerd?? I’m not sure I’m cool with this happening. But apparently it did. Seriously, if you would have mentioned birds as a part of ranching when I first came back to the ranch, I probably would have thought you were pretty weird. And now here I am. Embracing weird and embracing my love for new bird species. I mean, I even enjoy using the Merlin app and identifying new bird species through their sounds.


In learning more about diversity in ranching and the benefits diversity has on, well, all things, I have grown to appreciate the birds I see on our ranch. We know that ranches provide a good habitat for birds, but I’ve learned that birds help ranchers, also. Birds are excellent pest control for cattle for things like ticks and flies. They are excellent at controlling insects such as grasshoppers. They are excellent pollinators and seed spreaders. They are even good fertilizers!


Another interesting thing about birds is that they are indicators of ecosystem health. There is a direct correlation between increased ground cover and increased bird populations. Also, the more diverse your biological species are on your ranch, the healthier your ecosystem is for all those living in symbiosis.


I know, I know. It’s nerdy. But it’s cool.






4 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page