The mural is a 678 piece collection of 8″x8″ squares of all the endangered birds of the world. The mural was created by 150 signature members of the international Artists for Conservation in 2018 including work by two St. Louis area artists Sandy Brooks and Rob Dryer.
After two years of pandemic, we can finally fly free with the endangered birds of the worls at the St. Louis Zoo! Scaled back from the original plans, the mural still is a powerfull statement to support bird conservation everywhere.
While the exhibit will highlight the birds of concern within the scpoe of the St. Louis Zoo’s research programs, there is much we can do at home to limit harm to our feathered friends. Decreasing lighting during the peak migrations limits bird strikes on buildings, learning about birds in your own back yard and how stray cats are the leading cause of bird deaths and following ethical guidelines and photography prevents distrubing the animals during breeding seasons.
Audubon Center and BirdSafe STL
Stemming from our initial exhibition that included a Lights Out for Birds, Audubon Center expanded our project to create BirdSafe STL. Birds face many challenges in today’s world – climate change, shrinking habitats and resources, feral cats, and light pollution just to name a few. Smithsonian scientists in 2014 estimated that building collisions kill an estimated 599 million birds annually. In response to these stark realities, the St. Louis Audubon Society initiated the BirdSafeSTL project. You can support bird conservation as a business partner, volunteer, and as homeowner through direct action and home certification.
Birds in Your Back Yard
There are seven key ways to make birds safer that can be practiced at home. For more information check out Cornell University.
To understand artists ethics with wildlife, consider:
For more information on the Artists for Conservation and to apply to join, check the website.
North American Nature Photography Assiciation guidelines on conservation photography and ethical wildlife photography.
Create Bird Origami with Two Videos
