Research published by the journal Science reveals the shocking truth that we have had a net population loss of 3 billion birds across all bird species in North America since 1970, with loss of habitat cited as as the leading cause of these widespread declines. At Prairie Land Conservancy, we are committed to helping to #bringbirdsback! Join us as we work to restore 200 acres of woodland and prairie habitat at Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary in Macomb, Illinois. Together we can work to protect the nature that we love so much and ensure that birds have a safe haven in McDonough county.
Our Plans for Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary
We Will Provide Sanctuary For
How You Can Help!
Please click the button below to support the restoration of habitat at Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary.
Create a bird-friendly yard! By planting native trees, shrubs and flowers, you provide food and nesting sites for birds. Even a small patch of habitat provides shelter, plus berries, nectar and seeds for hungry birds.
Live a bird-friendly life! From buying bird-friendly coffee to easy solutions for preventing bird strikes at your windows, there are many ways to help birds in your everyday life. Click here to learn more about simple steps you can take to help birds from American Bird Conservancy.
The Science Behind Bring Birds Back
As reported in the journal Science*, researchers from seven different institutions found that there’s been a net loss of 3 billion birds in the past 50 years. These losses are in 38 families of bird species — including the Eastern and Western Meadowlarks, 139 million gone; the dark-eyed juncos, 168 million; white-throat sparrow, 93 million. The American Bird Conservancy reported that 90 percent of the total bird loss came from 12 bird families, including sparrows, warblers, finches, and swallows. These are species you may have been used to spotting in your very own neighborhood. Illinois Audubon Society Executive Director Jim Herkert told the Chicago Tribunethat the state is following the national trend. In the past 10 years, Illinois lost about 1.4 million birds per year. The Science article reported the following bird population declines in North America:
170 million Eastern Forest birds have been lost since 1970.
Grasslands lost more than 720 million birds or about 53 percent of their population.
A 28% decrease in migratory bird species, totaling 2.5 billion.
History tells us that conservation works to help bring birds back! When our waterfowl and raptors were facing extreme declines and threats of extinction, conservation groups brought them back. Let's work together to put our love of nature into action by ensuring that Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary becomes a high quality refuge--especially important for migrating birds--that provides abundant food, shelter, clean water, and safe nesting sites. *SOURCE: Rosenberg, K. V. et al. 2019. Decline of the North American Avifauna. Science 365(6461).
About Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary
Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary is owned and protected by Prairie Land Conservancy.In 2012, the Illinois Audubon Society donated the Sanctuary's original 18 acres to our land trust.In 2019, PLC acquired an additional 181 acres of directly adjoining land from the Marx family, increasing the size of the Sanctuary by ten times.
Bisecting this land is Wigwam Hollow Creek, flowing into the protected East Fork of the La Moine River that runs along the Sanctuary's southern border. Restoration goals of this oak-hickory woodland are to manage, enhance, and create new habitat for migratory birds, declining bird species, and endangered Indiana bats.PLC plans to eventually open the sanctuary for public use. This land is being conserved, in part, by funding made available as mitigation for impacts caused by the construction and maintenance of the Enbridge Pipelines, LLC, Flanagan south Pipeline.The Conservation Fund is working in partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to manage the pipeline mitigation funds as part of its Midwest Habitat Fund.