[Mike]

Predators & Bird Decline
Near Phoenix, AZ, Mountain Preserve

From Mike C
7-05-20

I live near the North Phoenix Mountain Preserves, where we used to see flocks of large insect around the school and
street light poles, many owls perched on trees and other high places, and falcons patrolling the sky and pouncing on
pigeons and rodents.

Now they are all suddenly gone, and there is a noticeably large increase of rats, mice and rabbits in our neighborhood.
Also, fewer mockingbirds and sparrows with the decrease in insects.

Not our imagination, first time in 30 years here that it has been this way. The few coyotes roaming around are also
much skinnier than they were just a few years ago.

Mike C