There are about 3 billion fewer birds around the world now than there were in 1970.

Chris Guglielmo says that’s a problem for two reasons, both of which affect humans.  

“Birds fulfill a lot of critical ecosystem functions,” says Chris, biology professor and director of Western University’s Centre for Animals on the Move who’s been studying how birds and bats migrate for 30 years. “They eat insects, disperse seeds, pollinate flowers and, as prey, are sometimes food for other animals in the ecosystem.”

And if the birds are decreasing, that also says something important about our planet.  

“Birds are the most visible and widely used indicators of environmental quality, so when we see things going wrong for them, it tells us there's something bad going on in our environment,” says Chris.

How and why many birds migrate is now coming to light, thanks to the use of miniaturized electronic tags that can be attached to birds and then transmit information to stations around the world.  

“We are discovering all kinds of amazing things about where birds go when they migrate. Whether they avoid light at night around cities, how they deal with weather systems and forest fire smoke.”

Scientists like Chris share the information they gather from the transmitters with Birds Canada, which, in turn, provides the findings to the global scientific community and policymakers.  

“There’s so much we are learning. We know habitat destruction has made it harder for many species to survive. And now climate change is being added on top of that.”

But Chris says policies that reduce factors like pollution and needless urbanization can help birds recover. And the birds themselves have proven remarkably adaptive. “Birds show incredible flexibility in their behaviors and adaptability, even in the face of terrible conditions. They seem to be able to change what they do to evolve new migratory patterns.”

In addition to his research, Chris is also passionate about creating opportunities for the next generation of scientists and conservation practitioners.  

“We need people who understand nature and can predict how life on Earth will respond to changes in the environment. We need those scientists with training, not just in describing the numbers of animals, but understanding the fundamental behavioral, physiological and genetic mechanisms that underlie what they do.”

Chris encourages future scientists to never lose their love of science.  

“I think my best advice for future scientists is not to lose heart. We do this because we love it. It's a calling, and it's something most of us dream about from childhood. So if that's your dream, stick with it and do your best to become the scientist you want to be. Always be creative and open minded, and look for new opportunities and directions.”