From Birdhism:

Birds are an indicator species, serving a similar (unfortunate) role to the “Canary in the coal mine.” They signal environmental distress.

Their population health, presence, or decline reflects the overall condition of an ecosystem, revealing issues like pollution, habitat loss, or climate change that might be harder to detect otherwise, just as Canaries warned miners of toxic gases.

If we want clean air, healthy forests, balanced soils, and thriving wildlife, we must protect bird diversity and the habitats they depend on.