Abstract
A 200 year old tree falls in one of South America's rainforests, because a chain saw cut it down. The act of cutting that tree took about four minutes. Nature took over 200 years to grow the tree. As the tree fell, a terrified squawk was heard. A multicolored bird flew from a nest, never to return. That bird, the two chicks in the nest, all of whom were killed when the tree fell, represents the fate of many birds. If the tragedy was an isolated instance aviculturists wouldn't be so disturbed.In the USA's pacific northwest a battle is being fought to save the spotted owl. On one side, the logging industry, on the other, those who are trying to secure the future for the spotted owl. Ninety percent of spotted owl nests are found in old growth timber. The birds live and feed in such habitat. Clear cutting old growth national fores ts is good business for loggers, whose interest in the future of the spotted owl is usually minimal, but most informed people believe loss of the old growth timber will mean the end of the spotted owl as a native species.