Bird Counts and Projects To Take Part In
As winter quickly approaches, some of us are eager to bundle up and snap on our skis, while others are preparing to hunker down and hibernate. Regardless of which side of the snow fence you sit on, there are fun bird-watching activities for you to enjoy.
For those of you who love getting outside to enjoy the white fluffy stuff, there’s the 100-year old Christmas Bird Count and the Great Backyard Bird Count.
For those of you who’d like to enjoy bird-watching from the comfort of your home, there’s Project FeederWatch.
Anyone can participate in Project FeederWatch, whether you’re an expert birder or just starting out. More than 20,000 citizen scientists from across Canada and the United States participate each year.
Participating is one way to stay connected to the outdoors during winter while improving your bird identification skills. All you need to do is set aside a few minutes (or hours if you want!) between November and April to watch. Record which birds are visiting your feeders, seeking shelter in your shrubs or flipping over leaves in your garden beds. You can do this for two consecutive days every week or just once during the winter. Your level of involvement is completely up to you.
Your observations help scientists understand long-term trends in bird populations. Did you know some birds are becoming more common in Ontario? For example, red-bellied woodpeckers were observed at 70 per cent of the feeders in the north-east last year, but only 35 per cent of feeders in 1989. Citizen science data has helped scientists discover these new trends in bird behaviour.
To learn how to participate, visit feederwatch.org. Get your feeders ready and start counting!