by Jason Davidson, food and technology campaign associate

Friends of the Earth

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Sep 6, 2017 · 4 min read

https://medium.com/@foe_us/the-birds-and-the-bees-new-research-implicates-pollinator-toxic-pesticides-in-hummingbird-declines-a733ef6023cb

Bees aren’t the only important pollinators in peril. Found only in the Western Hemisphere, hummingbirds are vital pollinators and new research is beginning to uncover the serious danger these birds face from pesticides. A new study from a Canadian researcher published this summer found that the same pesticide contributing to bee declines is likely contributing to hummingbird declines too.

Population Decline; Pesticide Use a Key Culprit

Research indicates that hummingbird populations have been declining for decades. One species, the Rufous hummingbird, lost 62 percent of its population from 1966–2014. Habitat loss, climate change and fragmentation of breeding grounds are all factors contributing to the loss of these vital pollinators.

However, this summer, new research from Canada indicates that neonicotinoid insecticides…