From 26 to 30 August 2024, together with the training department of SICK AG, we brought a very promising initiative to life.
Under the motto "Save the Birds", around 60 apprentices and DHBW (Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University) students built 1,100 nest boxes for native birds. Animal Passion e.V. and SICK AG provided both the woodworking machines and the raw materials.
Nest boxes for the whole region
A large share of the nest boxes was offered free of charge to anyone in the region who wanted one. The offer was very well received: every single box found a home.
This allowed local residents to secure many nesting sites in the region and make a valuable contribution to protecting native birds. We handed the remaining nest boxes over to local foresters and hunters, who put them up in suitable parts of the forest.
Bird decline is dramatic
Over the last hundred years, the global bird population is estimated to have declined by around 30 to 50%. The skylark population has shrunk by more than 50%, and that of the lapwing and grey partridge by more than 90%. The causes are many: habitat loss due to intensive agriculture, climate change, pollution, the use of pesticides and much more.
The decline of recent decades is due less to higher mortality among adult birds than to the fact that fewer and fewer young birds can be raised. Missing habitats and too little food are the main causes.
Birds play an important role in our ecosystem. They contribute to the ecological balance and the health of our environment, provide natural pest control, pollinate plants and spread seeds. Breeding and nesting sites are the foundation for preserving this balance and protecting biodiversity.
Projects like this one are initiated and supported by Animal Passion e.V. They are only possible thanks to volunteer work and donations. Every contribution helps to improve animals' lives for the long term and to protect our planet.
