For the love of birds | Washington Wachira

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Jack Zhang

With me here today

今天我到這裡，

I brought something beautiful.

帶來了很美麗的東西。

This is a feather from one of the most beautiful birds we have in Kenya,

這根羽毛，來自肯亞 最美麗的鳥類之一，

the crested guinea fowl.

冠珠雞。

But this feather is more than just that.

但這根羽毛不只如此。

If you've taken time when you are outdoors

如果你在戶外的時候花點時間，

to look at the feathers around you,

去看看你周圍的羽毛，

you'll have noticed

你就會注意到，

that there is this huge variety of different sizes,

它們的大小、形狀、甚至顏色，

shapes and even colors.

都有很大的不同。

The feather is one of the most astonishing pieces of technology

羽毛是自然世界所發明出來

最令人驚奇的技術之一，

invented by the natural world,

and for centuries, this feather has helped birds to keep dry,

數世紀以來，這羽毛 協助鳥兒們保持乾燥，

to keep warm and even power flight.

保持溫暖，甚至是飛行的助力。

Only one section of the tree of life can actually make a feather.

生命之樹只有一個部份 可以真正做出羽毛來。

Among all the world's animals,

在世界上所有的動物當中，

birds are the only ones who can make something

只有鳥類可以做出像我現在

like what I'm holding today.

手上拿著的東西。

I personally have given them a nickname,

我個人給了牠們一個暱稱，

and I like to call them the feathermakers.

我喜歡叫牠們羽毛製造者。

It is the major difference between birds and any other animals we have on earth,

鳥類和地球上所有 其他動物有很大的不同，

and if you can't make a feather, you cannot call yourself a bird.

如果你無法做出羽毛， 你就不能稱你自己是鳥。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

For us humans, who are earthbound,

對我們受限在陸地上的人類而言，

birds represent freedom.

鳥兒代表自由。

This feather has enabled birds to conquer gravity

羽毛讓鳥能夠克服地心引力，

and take to the air in an extraordinary way.

並用很不凡的方式駕馭天空。

Don't you sometimes wish you could fly like a bird?

你們不會有時很希望自己 能像鳥兒一樣飛翔嗎？

Birds are my passion,

鳥類是我的熱情所在，

and I want to change the way each one of you thinks about them.

我想要改變每個人對於鳥的看法。

The easiest reason I love them so much is because they are beautiful.

我這麼喜愛牠們， 最簡單的理由是牠們很漂亮。

There are 10,000 species in the world,

世界上有 10,000 種鳥，

and each one of them is uniquely beautiful.

每一種都有獨特的美。

Birds are amazing,

鳥類很不可思議，

and this talk is dedicated to all the birds of the world.

這場演說，是要獻給 世界上所有的鳥。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Indeed, these birds have been part of our lives and cultures

的確，鳥一直是我們 生活和文化的一部份，

all over the world for centuries,

數世紀以來在全世界皆是如此，

and every society has a story about birds.

每個社會，都有一個 和鳥有關的故事。

You probably have heard childhood stories of different birds

你們在兒時可能有聽過 一些故事，是關於鳥兒

and how they relate with man.

以及牠們和人類的關係。

I personally recently learned

我自己最近才學到，

that our human ancestors would follow flocks of vultures

我們人類的祖先會跟隨著禿鷹群，

and then they would help them

禿鷹會幫助人類

to identify where carcasses have been dropped by large carnivores,

找出屍體被食肉動物丟在哪裡，

and these humans will scavenge and eat part of that meat.

這些人就會去撿拾那些肉來食用。

Birds have been used as brands and labels all over the world.

世界各地都有用鳥 來設計的品牌和商標。

You know the bald eagle?

認得這隻白頭鷹嗎？

It was chosen as the national emblem for the US

牠被選為美國的國徽，

because of its majestic strength,

因為牠有雄偉威嚴的力量、

beautiful looks

漂亮的外表、

and even a long lifespan.

甚至有很長的壽命。

And just like us humans

和我們人類一樣，

who have managed to live in virtually all habitats of this earth,

人類已經幾乎在地球上 所有可以居住的地方定居，

birds have also conquered the world.

鳥類也同樣征服了世界。

From birds such as these beautiful penguins

從像這些漂亮的企鵝

that live in the cold ice caps

住在寒冷的冰帽上，

to even others like the larks,

到其他鳥類如百靈鳥，

who live in the hottest deserts you can imagine.

住在你所能想像出最炎熱的沙漠。

Indeed, these species have conquered this world.

的確，這些品種已經征服了世界。

Birds also build houses like us.

鳥類也和我們一樣會蓋房子。

The real pros in housebuilding

真正的蓋房子專家，

are a group of birds we call the weaverbirds,

是被我們稱為織巢鳥的一種鳥，

and this name they were given

牠們得到這個名字，

because of the way in which they weave their nests.

是因為牠們編織鳥巢的方式。

An interesting one:

很有趣的一點：

birds also love and date just like us humans.

鳥類也和我們人類一樣， 會戀愛、會約會。

In fact, you'll be surprised to know that males dress to impress the women,

事實上，很讓人驚訝的是， 公鳥會用穿著來讓母鳥印象深刻，

and I'll show you how.

讓我來展示牠們怎麼做。

So here we have a long-tailed widowbird,

這裡有一隻長尾巧織雀，

and this is how they would normally look.

這是牠們平常看起來的模樣。

But when it comes to the breeding season,

但到了繁殖季，

everything changes,

一切就改變了，

and this is how he looks.

牠會變成這個樣子。

(Audience murmurs)

（觀眾低語）

Yeah?

是吧？

Birds also, multiple species of them,

此外，有數種鳥類

do love to touch and cuddle just like humans.

和人類一樣喜歡接觸和摟抱。

And I know you're wondering about this one.

我知道你們很想知道。

Yes, they kiss too,

是的，牠們也會接吻，

sometimes very deeply.

有時候是深吻。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Some have even learned to cheat on their spouses.

有些鳥甚至學會欺騙配偶。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

For example, the African jacana:

比如，長腳雉鴴：

the females will mate with multiple males

母鳥會和不只一隻公鳥交配，

and then she takes off to find other males to mate with

接著牠會落跑，去找其他公鳥交配，

and she leaves the male behind to take care of the chicks.

牠丟下公鳥，讓公鳥照顧小鳥。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And birds help us so much,

鳥類也會幫我們很多忙，

and they play very crucial roles in our ecosystems each day.

牠們在我們的日常生態系統中 扮演關鍵的角色。

Vultures clean up our environment

禿鷹會清理我們的環境，

by literally digesting disease-causing pathogens,

牠們真的會把造成疾病的 病原體給消化掉，

and they finish carcasses that would otherwise cost us lots of money

牠們也會把屍體解決掉，為我們省下

to clear from the environment.

大筆清理環境的錢。

A sizable flock of vultures is capable of bringing down a carcass

一大群的禿鷹可以把斑馬大小的

the size of a zebra straight to the bone

屍體吃到剩骨頭，

within just about 30 minutes.

只要不到三十分鐘。

Owls help to rid the environments of rodents

貓頭鷹能幫忙擺脫 齧齒目動物的環境，

and this helps us a lot because it saves us money --

這能幫助我們省下很多錢──

we don't lose our crops --

作物不會損失──

and secondly, we don't have to buy harmful chemicals

再者，我們也不用買有害的化學藥物

to handle these rodents.

來對付齧齒目動物。

The beautiful sunbirds we see in our environments

在我們的環境中能看到的漂亮太陽鳥

are part of nature's pollination crew,

隸屬大自然的授粉團隊，

and they help our plants to form fruits.

牠們協助植物長出水果。

Together with other pollinators like insects,

牠們和其他的授粉團隊成員合作，

they have actually helped us

如昆蟲，就能協助我們

to get most of the food crops that we depend on for many years.

收穫我們多年來 一直賴以為生的作物。

Unfortunately, the story of birds is by far not perfect.

不幸的是，目前， 鳥類的故事並不完美。

They are faced by numerous challenges every day wherever they live.

牠們不論住在哪裡， 每天都要面對許多挑戰。

Top on the threats facing birds

鳥類要面對的挑戰之首，

is habitat loss

就是失去棲息地，

and reduced food availability.

可得食物也在減少。

Birds are also hunted, especially migratory species

鳥類也會被獵殺，特別是候鳥

and ducks that congregate in water bodies.

以及在水中群聚的鴨子。

Poisoning is happening to flocks that like to stick together,

喜歡團結在一起的鳥群 特別容易被毒害，

especially in places like rice schemes.

特別是在稻田中。

Moreover, power lines are electrocuting birds

此外，電線會讓鳥類觸電而死，

and wind farms are slicing birds

鳥類飛過風電廠的風車葉片間時

when they fly through the blades.

會被切到而受傷死亡。

Recently, we've heard the talk of climate change

最近，我們聽到 許多氣候變遷的言論，

making a lot of headlines,

登上許多頭條新聞，

and it's also affecting birds,

這也會影響鳥類，

because birds are being forced to migrate to better breeding and feeding grounds

因為鳥類被迫遷離 較佳的繁殖地及飼育地，

because unfortunately where they used to live

因為，很不幸地，牠們過去的居住地

is no longer habitable.

不再適合棲息。

My own perspective towards birds was changed

我自己對於鳥類改觀的時間點，

when I was a small boy in high school,

是在高中時，我還是個小男孩，

and there was this boy who struck,

當時有一個男孩

injuring the wing and the leg of a bird we called the augur buzzard.

攻擊一隻棕鵟，傷了牠的翅膀和腳。

I was standing there,

我站在那裡，

just a mere 14-year-old,

我才十四歲，

and I imagined a human being in a similar situation,

我想像著人類處在同樣的情境中，

because this bird could not help itself.

因為這隻鳥無法幫牠自己。

So even if I was hardly any biologist by then,

雖然那時我實在算不上是生物學家，

I gathered with three of my friends and we decided to house the bird

我召集了三個朋友， 我們決定養這隻鳥，

until it had regained strength and then let it free.

直到牠重新恢復力氣，再放牠自由。

Interestingly, it accepted to feed on beef from our school kitchen,

有趣的是，牠接受我們餵牠 吃從學校廚房拿來的牛肉，

and we hunted termites around the compound for its dinner every day.

我們每天也在圍牆建築 附近找白蟻來給牠當晚餐。

After a few days, it had regained strength

幾天之後，牠恢復力氣了，

and we released it.

我們就放牠走了。

We were so happy to see it flap its wings

我們好高興看到牠再次拍動翅膀，

and fly off gracefully.

優雅地飛走。

And that experience changed the way we looked at birds.

那次經驗改變了我們對鳥類的觀點。

We went on to actually make a magazine,

我們接著創立了一本雜誌，

and we called it the Hawk Magazine,

我們叫它「鷹雜誌」，

and this was in honor of this bird

目的是在紀念這隻鳥，

that we had helped within our own high school.

我們在高中時幫助過的這隻鳥。

Those experiences in high school made me the conservationist I am today.

那些高中的經驗，導致我現在 成為一位自然環境保護主義者。

And a passion for birds should especially matter for Africa

對於非洲以及非洲人而言， 對鳥類的熱愛應該是

and all Africans,

特別有重要性的，

because among all other continents,

因為在所有的大陸當中，

Africa hosts some of the most amazing bird species

非洲有一些最令人驚奇的鳥類品種，

you can find anywhere in the world.

是世界上其他地方找不到的。

Imagine having a name like "shoebill."

想像一個叫做「鯨頭鸛」的名字。

That's the name of that bird.

這是那隻鳥的名字。

And there are countries like DR Congo,

有些國家，像是剛果民主共和國、

Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya

坦尚尼亞、烏干達、肯亞，

who are leading the continent in highest numbers of diversity

它們在鳥類品種的數目及多樣性上，

when it comes to the species.

是遙遙領先的。

These birds continue to provide the continent

這些鳥類持續提供非常關鍵的

with very crucial ecosystem services that Africa needs.

生態系統服務，這些服務 是非洲大陸很需要的。

Moreover, there is huge potential

此外，非洲也很有潛力

for Africa to lead the world in avian tourism.

能領導世界的鳥類觀光。

The economy will definitely benefit.

經濟方面一定會受惠。

Imagine how many communities will benefit from groups of tourists

想像一下有多少社區能夠受惠，

如果觀光團造訪他們的村落，

visiting their villages just to see the endemic birds

只是去看僅在這些村落中 才找得到的地方特有鳥類。

that can only be found in those villages.

How can we help birds together?

我們能怎麼合作幫助鳥類？

There is now a chance for all of you

現在大家有個機會，

to turn your passion for birds

可以把對鳥類的熱情

into contributing to their continued survival,

轉成為牠們的持續生存做出貢獻，

and you can do that by becoming a citizen scientist.

你可以藉由變成一名 公眾科學家，來做到這一點。

Citizen science is a growing trend around the world,

公眾科學家的趨勢正在全世界成長，

and we are having scenarios where people are sharing information

已經可以看到的做法

包括人們會與社區中其他人 分享交通新資訊、

with the rest of the community about traffic updates,

security alerts and so on.

安全警告、等等。

That is exactly what we realized as bird-watchers,

那正是我們野鳥觀察家領悟到的，

and we thought, because birds are found everywhere,

我們認為，因為到處都能看到鳥類，

if we've got all of you and everyone else in Africa

如果我們能讓你們所有人、 以及非洲的其他人，

to tell us the birds they find where they live,

能告訴我們，在他們居住、上學、

where they school, or even where they work,

甚至工作的地方，能找到哪些鳥類，

then we can be able to come up with a map of every single species,

那麼我們就能做出一張 有所有品種的地圖，

and from there scientists will be able

這麼一來，科學家就能夠

to actually prioritize conservation efforts

針對最重要的棲息地

to those habitats that matter the most.

優先投入做保育。

Take for example these two projects,

用兩個專案計畫來當例子，

the Africa Raptor DataBank,

「非洲猛禽資料庫」，

which is mapping all birds of prey in the continent of Africa,

是針對非洲大陸上所有 捕食型鳥類製作地圖，

and the Kenya Bird Map,

及「肯亞鳥類地圖」，

which is mapping about 1,100 species that occur in my country, Kenya.

為我的祖國肯亞出現的 1,100 種鳥類製作地圖。

These two projects now have online databases

現在這兩項專案計畫 都有線上資料庫，

that are allowing people to submit data,

讓人們可以提交資料，

and this is converted into very interactive websites

且還建立了一個非常互動式的網站，

that the public can consume and make decisions from.

民眾可以在網站上消費和做決策。

But when we started, there was a big challenge.

我們開始的時候遇到很大的挑戰。

We received many complaints from bird-watchers,

很多野鳥觀察家向我們投訴，

and they will say,

他們會說：

"I'm in a village, and I cannot access a computer.

「我在村落裡，我沒有電腦可以用。

How do I tell you what birds live in my home,

我要如何告訴你在我家附近、

or where I school, or where I work?"

學校附近、工作地附近有什麼鳥類？

So we were forced to renovate our strategy and come up with a sustainable solution.

所以我們被迫要修改策略， 提出永續的解決方案。

It was easy:

方法並不難：

we immediately realized that mobile phones

我們馬上想到，

手機在非洲變得越來越普及了，

were becoming increasingly common in Africa

and most of the regions could get access to one.

在大部份的區域都會有手機可以用。

So we came up with mobile phone applications

所以我們做了一個手機應用程式，

that you can use on your iPhone and on your Android phone,

可以裝在 iPhone 或 Android 手機上，

and we made them freely available

這個應用程式是免費的，

for every bird-watching enthusiast out there.

讓外面的每個野鳥觀察家都能用。

So we came up with BirdLasser, which is used by the Kenya Bird Map,

我們推出了 BirdLasser 配合「肯亞鳥類地圖」使用，

and also we have the African Raptor Observations,

還有 African Raptor Observations（非洲猛禽觀察）

which is now used by the African Raptor DataBank.

配合「非洲猛禽資料庫」。

This was a huge breakthrough in our work

這是我們工作上的大突破，

and it made us get enormous amounts of data

讓我們能取得極大量的資料，

from every birder out there in the regions.

由外面各地的所有野鳥觀察家提供。

With this, we realized that citizen science

這讓我們了解到公眾科學

is indeed very powerful,

的確是非常強大的，

the reason being, citizen science is adaptive.

原因是，公眾科學是有適應性的。

And we were able to actually convert many bird-watchers

我們也確實讓許多 野鳥觀察家做出轉變，

to start sharing new information with us.

開始和我們分享新資訊。

When we were starting,

我們剛開始的時候，

we didn't know that birds could be a huge gateway

我們沒有料到鳥類能夠成為

to approaching conservation of other forms of animals.

保育其他動物的一條途徑。

Interestingly, now in the Virtual Museum for Africa,

有趣的是，現在在非洲 「虛擬博物館」中，

we have maps for dragonflies and damselflies,

我們有蜻蜓和蜻蛉的地圖、

butterflies and moths,

蝴蝶和蛾的地圖、

reptiles, frogs, orchids, spiders,

還有爬行動物、青蛙、蘭花、蜘蛛、

scorpions, and yes, we are even mapping mushrooms.

蝎子、還有，是的， 我們甚至為菇類做了地圖。

Who could have imagined mapping mushrooms?

誰能想像為菇類做地圖？

So this showed us that indeed we've created a community of people

這表示，我們的確 創造出了一個社群，

who care about nature in Africa.

關懷非洲大自然的社群。

I hereby call upon all of you

在此，我邀請所有人，

to join me in promoting the value of birds

加入我，在你們的社區內，一起來

within your communities.

推動鳥類的價值，

Please just tell your friends about birds,

請你們和朋友聊天時聊聊鳥類，

for we are always inclined to love and care for that which we know.

因為我們的傾向就是會去愛、 去關心我們知道的事物。

Please spend a few minutes in your free time

請花幾分鐘的空閒時間，

when you are at work, at school, or maybe at home,

在工作時、在學校時、也許在家時，

to at least look around you and see which beautiful birds are there.

至少看一下你的周圍， 看看能看到什麼漂亮的鳥類。

Come join us in citizen science

來加入我們的公眾科學，

and tell us the birds you're finding in the places where you visit.

告訴我們，在你去造訪的地方 你發現了哪些鳥類。

Even simpler,

還有更簡單的，

you could buy your child or your sibling

你們可以為你們的孩子或兄弟姐妹

a pair of binoculars

買一組雙筒望遠鏡，

or a bird book

或是一本鳥類書籍，

and let them just appreciate how beautiful these birds are.

讓他們能夠欣賞到 這些鳥類有多漂亮。

Because maybe one day they will want to care

也許有一天，他們會想要關懷

for that one which they know and love.

他們知道且喜愛的鳥類。

The children indeed are our future.

孩子的確是我們的未來。

Let us please teach them to love our feathermakers,

請教導他們，要愛護 我們的羽毛製造者，

because the love of birds

因為對鳥類的愛，

can be a huge gateway to appreciating all forms of nature.

可能會是條途徑，通往對 各種形式之大自然的欣賞及感念。

Thank you very much.

非常謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Thank you.

謝謝。