Remember that time you tripped over your Wolverine action figure hidden under a pile of clothes on your bedroom floor? Remember how his face was imprinted on the bottom of your foot for the rest of the week? That was right after your mom totally called you out for not cleaning up your room when she asked! You haven’t let it get that messy again since, have ya?

Well, the same kind of thing happens to birds all the time, only worse. Messy highways create lots of hazards for these frequent fliers.

Have you ever thought that the ditches along roads and highways look 10 times worse than your room ever does? That’s because even though people might only toss out a stick of gum or a banana peel, those little bits of garbage add up fast when hundreds (or thousands!) of people drive by, and there’s not always someone there to clean it up.

All those snack wrappers and apple cores look and smell pretty good to a hungry bird – but when they swoop in to grab a bite they often smack head on into a car or truck! Even big birds, like hawks, can end up with broken wings or worse when they dive down for a mouse that’s snacking at the roadside buffet.

Not littering would be a major help for the birds, but not everyone was raised with good manners. There’s still something you can do about it though… check out an Adopt-a-Highway program. It might not sound as cool as adopting a Manatee or a Bengal tiger, but it can make a difference for animals right in front of your house!

How it works:

Adopt-a-Highway programs take place all over the world. To get involved in Ontario you can get your parents to call this number for more info: 1-800-268-4686. All you need is a little basic training with your family, and you’ll be good to go.

(Just be careful that your Mom doesn’t get any ideas about an Adopt a Bedroom program…)

Earth Rangers is a non-profit organization that works to inspire and educate children about the environment. At EarthRangers.com kids can play games, discover amazing facts, meet animal ambassadors and fundraise to protect biodiversity.