Reynolds, age 12., of Shreveport, Louisiana, for her question:

Which bird is nearest extinction?

Sad questions like this one tempt us to sink into grief and to give up trying. But hopelessness is a certain shortcut to doom. It steals our healthy faith in ourselves and love of life. In this case, it also deprives our endangered birds of the help that might save them. By all means, let's face the fact that all life on earth is threatened. But with faith and courage we can, in time, reverse such dangers as pollution'. There may be time to save many endangered animals. We can at least delay the final extinction of those already doomed. While they liver there is still hope that our efforts may help nature to re establish them.

Pollution and the human population explosion threaten all life on this luxurious planet    including humanity. Of all nature's creatures, the birds bear the heaviest burden. Those in most serious danger are the meat eaters    the hawks and owls, the falcons and eagles and the fish eating ospreys. Their survival is attacked on two fronts. Their diets include much large doses of DDT and other poisonous pollutants. And, as with all other birds, their nesting, grounds and food ranges are taken from nature to make room for human housing projects.

Government agencies and concerned adults are moving to halt and repair the devastation. Conservationists already have saved the bison, the whcoping crane and other species from extinction. They succeeded because they studied the total environment and worked with nature. While our youth generation waits its turn to improve the world, it has time to plan and prepare the right sort of action. If we knew more we could name and perhaps rescue the next doomed bird. Young nature lovers can make seasonal bird counts and notes on how changes in the environment affect them. For example, note that the peregrine falcon needs a wide hunting range. And many birds nest and feed in swamps and wastelands. Their numbers decrease when we remodel and take over their territories. We can halt this invasion of the bird world. But the pollution of soil and water is a more serious, long range problem.

Small creatures absorb DDT and other man made poisons and they are eaten by larger creatures, who get more concentrated doses. The list of birds at the top of contaminated food chains includes the peregrine, the osprey and the American eagle. One of these or some other species may soon perish.

Roger Tory Peterson, our favorite bird man, has observed a local osprey population for 15 years. He reports that the original 150 nests have dwindled to eight, and of 20 eggs, 19 failed to hatch. The shells are weakened by deadly DDT consumed by the parent birds. The osprey and many other birds appear doomed. On the other hand, if we strive hard to help the conservationists, these and other endangered species may be saved.

This summer, let's organize a nature club and tiptoe forth to observe the bird world. Take pencils, notepads and a trusted book called Peterson's Field Guide to Birds. _ Let's share our reports with other clubs and conservation organizations. Together, we can provide the reliable, on the spot information for making plans  ¬the right plans    to preserve our endangered birds from extinction.