The National Audubon Society has nearly one million members and supporters throughout the Americas who are dedicated to the preservation and protection of birds, other wildlife and their habitat. This legislation, plus H.R. 381 introduced by Congressman Jim Greenwood, are major steps forward in our efforts to protect and enhance bird habitat in Latin America and the Caribbean. I want to compliment Chairman Young and Mr. Greenwood, for introducing these bills and giving this matter the important attention it deserves. For the reasons I will detail below, I would like to express our whole-hearted support of the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 1999. This bill addresses the important need for protecting and enhancing populations of neotropical migratory birds, using effective and relatively inexpensive means.
Birds are a beautiful and important part of our natural heritage.
Perhaps more than any other kind of wildlife, birds are highly visible and thus easy for us to enjoy. Hundreds of species of migratory songbirds link the Western Hemisphere. In their journeys from breeding grounds in the United States and Canada to winter homes in Latin America and the Caribbean, the annual spectacle of migration is a source of fascination for the millions of Americans who watch and feed birds. Migratory birds have become fundamental components of many local economies. According to surveys completed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, more than 63 million Americans watch and feed birds.