The impact of landfills on birds

Abstract

The increase in consumption makes landfills an important element of reality. What inhabitants of cities and villages perceive as rubbish, birds treat as a source of food, and sometimes material for building nests. In addition to benefits in the form of a food base and a place of rest during migration, landfills may, however, pose a threat to birds. Adverse consequences of birds living in landfills include, among others their food poisoning, mutilations, injuries, bacterial infections, the transmission of pathogens and diseases, diet changes lowering reproductive capacity and changes in migration patterns - leading to exhaustion of birds and exposure to other dangers. Birds also play other roles in landfills, e.g. enrich biodiversity by transferring propagules of plants, both native but also foreign and invasive. Waste managers and public administrative bodies should take actions to reduce the negative impact of landfills on birds, and thus on the whole environment.