This would not need to be written if all pet owners were responsible-do not come to Beaver Island without leaving with your cats or other pets. Cats left abandoned when people leave Beaver Island are impacting birds.
We've all seen photos of a cat with a bird. Even well fed cats will kill birds. Researchers estimate that a single free-roaming pet cat kills up to 34 birds annually with feral cats killing 23-46 birds annually. Cats are an introduced exotic, and wild birds simply have no defense against them. Declawing doesn’t help. Bells don’t help. Cats are superior predators, and wild birds simply don’t stand a chance. In the US alone, outdoor cats kill approximately 2.4 billion birds every year. Predation by domestic cats is the No. 1 human-caused threat to birds in the U.S. and Canada.
Be a part of the solution to protect our island's bird populations. Now is the time when migratory birds are returning to the island. Soon some species of birds will begin to nest on the ground. Some of these birds already have declining numbers prior to arriving here. Outdoor cats only further contribute to the decline.
Please keep Beaver Island's bird and other wildlife species from declining or even being pushed toward extinction by keeping your cats controlled. If you have feral cats in your area or an unwanted cat, please contact Dr. Jeff Powers or his staff at the Hardware Store for instructions.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/faq- ... -on-birds/#