The Gnatcatcher A Brave Ecological Intelligent Bird

By Sammie Scales

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Once upon a time out in San Diego, California there was a beautiful forest. This forest was populated with many exotic plants and animals. The animals roamed free without the fear of humans or the threat of industrialization. This forest was biocentric. The animals all got along well. There was plenty of food to eat that nature supplied and plenty of fresh clean water to drink.

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One day the animals began to hear strange loud noises and it sounded as if it was coming from the north. As the noise inched closer and closer the animals did not know what to do so they began to run for cover and safety.

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The noise suddenly stopped, the animals waited patiently to gather and discuss what the noise could have possibly been. The elephant said whatever it was it had me frightened, me too, said the lion, Im the king of this wilderness and I have never experienced any sound like that in my life.

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The gazelles and zebras began to chat among themselves as to what could have caused such a disruption in their paradise. Maybe it was thunder or maybe it was God moving furniture again, whispered the antelopes. Perhaps its an earthquake chimed the parrot. We must get to the bottom of this said the giraffe, and from up here I cannot see what could have caused such commotion.

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Little did the lions, tigers, bears and other animals of the forest know; the world as they knew it is about to change and a little bird, the gnatcatcher, will be the one to save the forest. The gnatcatcher only four inches long and a song bird is the only animal brave enough to go out and look for the origin of the sound. The lion was terrified and the buffalo just refused to leave their hiding place. Off on his own the gnatcatcher flew. He flew until he came across a machine that was unfamiliar.

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Its the humans again, said the gnatcatcher, they are using that machine to push over trees and are destroying the forest and the destruction is headed in the direction where my friends and I live. I must find a way to stop them. The gnatcatcher has always been a clever bird, By flicking its white-edged tail from side to side, the gnatcatcher may scare up hiding insects (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bluegray_Gnatcatcher/lifehistory) for food and surely it can out smart humans, the creatures that thinks that they are anthropocentric. How can I stop them I am only 3.94.3 inches long with a wingspan of 6.3 inches and weigh 0.2 ounces (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bluegray_Gnatcatcher/lifehistory)? Oh no! The wrecking machine!

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The gnatcatcher needs a large area to fly free and thrive and to maintain their population. Highly variable correlated with distance from the coast, ranging from less than 1 ha to over 9 ha (Braden 1997, Preston et al. 1998a, Atwood et al. 1998b). The non-breeding season home range size about 80% larger than breeding season home ranges (Preston et al. 1998a, Bontrager 1991) (http://www.prbo.org/calpif/htmldocs/species/scrub/califo rnia_gnatcatcher.html). Im a non-migratory bird so I have to devise a way to contact all thirty of the different species of gnatcatchers and organize to stop the bulldozer from destroying the forest which is my home.

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When it comes to ecology we must all live and work together, the same water that we water our garden with and wash our cars with is all a part of a global water system said the gnatcatcher. The gnatcatcher pondered and contemplated on what to do. I must get the humans to realize that we are all a part of the circle of life and without the animals they would cease to exist. The bugs eat the grass, the rodents eat the bugs, and the hawks eat the rodents and the cycle continues as the deer and cow eats the grass the humans eat the deer and cow.

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Just as in the movie Avatar we are all connected.

(http://www.google.com/imgres?q=avatar&start=87&num=10&um=1&hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1440&bih=735&tbm=isch&tbnid=1NOCURzyW4A Q8M:&imgrefurl=http://prabhustudio.blogspot.com/2010/08/avatar-making-of-film480p.html&docid=xGm9ZxrRfGAevM&imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UUSrVTphI7A/THpGAPPl67I/AAAAAAAAASk/OdogHSTLn38/s1 600/Avatar%252BSpecial%252BEdition.jpg&w=1488&h=1600&ei=doSzUJa4GOjMigK9toD4Aw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=579&vpy=278&du r=1467&hovh=233&hovw=216&tx=133&ty=132&sig=112273431771924995124&page=4&tbnh=153&tbnw=137&ndsp=34&ved=1t:429,r:3,s: 100,i:13)

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Just As Santiago, respected the Marlin in Earnest Hemingways The old man and The Sea, we must teach humans to respect animals in and out of water said the gnatcatcher. We have to teach them to respect and accept us as a part of the universe.

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Once again, the loud noise began and the animals were in a panic, the gnatcatcher assured the animals that things would be okay. The animals began to brainstorm and decided that since the gnatcatcher is endangered they would send the gnatcatcher out in front of the bulldozer and hope that the driver would halt. This plan had to work because there was no other plan. It was all or nothing.

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The California gnatcatcher is endangered and was placed on the endangered species list in 1993. Because of the Endangered Species Act the gnatcatcher is protected and any area where it lays eggs and lives is protected. Legislation has been passed to implement penalties and fined for disturbing the gnatcatcher and preventing its growth.

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The bulldozer began to push over trees and everything else in its path. The animals were disbursed in all directions. Chaos ensued. The gnatcatcher sprang into action flying directly in the path of the bulldozer. Armed with knowledge of the law, the gnatcatcher sprang into action and flew directly in front of the bulldozer, the engine of the bulldozer was revved up but the gnatcatcher stood its ground and didnt back down. Slowly, the bulldozer began to back away and leave the area. The animals cheered and said not in our backyard!

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The gnatcatcher explains to the other animals why its important to live in an ecological healthy environment. Ecology is a Greek word meaning The study of relationships of organisms to their environment and each other (www.kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/ecology/ecoindex.html).

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According to the gnatcatcher children that want to be more ecological oriented should ask school officials where does their school water comes from and what mote of transportation does it take to reach the school. Kids should ask their science teacher where does rain water flow; to a dam, river, pond, lake or to the ocean? Water no matter where you are flows downward and by following a trench that may be left behind from rain may lead you to some answers about ecology.

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Environmentalism is often portrayed as a reaction against

the impact of science, technology and industrialization (http://www.jstor.org/stable/623218) but in reality we are not against progress but against some of the methods used. There are several methods that could be used when it comes to clearing land for development says the gnatcatcher. The first method that is very harmful and traumatic to animals is bulldozing, it is a cheap method (http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Land) to use, but first it is a good idea to harvest anything that can be used before bulldozing. Bulldozing does damage the top soil.

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Next, there is Mulching, though it is more expensive than other kinds of clearing, a mulch machine knocks over small trees, bushes, and brush and grinds them into mulch. There is nothing left to pile up or burn. The soil is not damaged during mulch clearing (http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Land). Debris is grinded into the soil.

Another method is to buy some goats! Build a fence around the land you want to clear and put some goats inside the fence. The goats will eat the undergrowth around the larger trees. You can then sell the goats and harvest the larger trees (http://www.wikihow.com/ClearLand).Goat clearing is inexpensive for clearing land, but it does take time. The goats can get to places that machinery has a hard time reaching.

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The gnatcatcher wants to remind kids that we all have to live in this world together and cannot do so without each other. Therefore, it is very important to conserve water and to be aware of where your most precious commodity comes from. The forest is a place that should be well balanced for the animals to live and fro humans to take part in the circle of life.

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If you want to get involved with making a difference in your community says the gnatcatcher please contact your Audubon Society in your community at San Diego Audubon Society 4010 Morena Blvd. Suite 100 San Diego, CA 92117 For additional information please contact Karen Straus (http://www.sandiegoaudubon.org).

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Glossary Anthropocentric- Considering human beings as the most significant entity of the universe. Metaphor- Something used to represent something else. Example the wrecking machine is the bulldozer. Ecology- The study of relationships of organisms to their environment and each other. Gnatcatcher- Any of various small American songbirds of the genus Polioptila and related genera, typically having a long tail and a pale bluish-grey plumage: family Muscicapidae Bulldozer- A powerful tractor fitted with caterpillar tracks and a blade at the front, used for moving earth, rocks, etc. Environmentalist- Any person who advocates or works to protect the air, water, animals, plants, and other natural resources from pollution or its effects. Science- Systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation. Technology- The branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science. Industrialization- The large-scale introduction of manufacturing, advanced technical enterprises and other productive economic activity into an area, society, country, etc.

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Works Cited http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue-gray_Gnatcatcher/lifehistory http://www.prbo.org/calpif/htmldocs/species/scrub/california_gnatcatcher.html

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=avatar&start=87&num=10&um=1&hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1440&bih=735&tbm=isch&tbnid=1NOCURzyW4AQ8 M:&imgrefurl=http://prabhustudio.blogspot.com/2010/08/avatar-making-of-film- 480p.html&docid=xGm9ZxrRfGAevM&imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UUSrVTphI7A/THpGAPPl67I/AAAAAAAAASk/OdogHSTLn38/s1600/Av atar%252BSpecial%252BEdition.jpg&w=1488&h=1600&ei=doSzUJa4GOjMigK9toD4Aw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=579&vpy=278&dur=1467&hovh =233&hovw=216&tx=133&ty=132&sig=112273431771924995124&page=4&tbnh=153&tbnw=137&ndsp=34&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:100,i:13

www.kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/ecology/ecoindex.html Rationalization and Conservation: Ecology and the Management of Nature in the United Kingdom W. M. AdamsTransactions of the Institute of British Geographers , New Series, Vol. 22, No. 3 (1997), pp. 277-291 Published by: Wiley on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) http://www.jstor.org/stable/623218 http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Land http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gnatcatcher?s=t http://dictionary.reference.com/ http://www.sandiegoaudubon.org/

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