Birds >

Birds bring joy to so many of us. Their beauty, their habits, their songs and calls are but a few of their characteristics that attract our attention. We cannot ignore that many species’ numbers are declining rapidly. There are Citizen Science Projects in which you can participate so that you CAN make a difference. You can participate in your own backyard or go into the field to document your sightings. Binoculars and a good field guide are the only equipment necessary.

The Christmas Bird Count (December), The Great Backyard Bird Count (February) [teachers click here for lessons], Project Feeder Watch (ongoing), the Swallow-tailed Kite Survey ^* (April) and The Prothonotary Warbler Survey ^* (May-June) are ways for you to be involved. Submitting your sightings to eBird feeds the information into a universal database that tracks trends in bird populations.

If you enjoy sharing your knowledge and experiences, contact local schools and civic organizations or scout troupes to give presentations. And if you have not already done so, join Audubon, which automatically enrolls you as a member of your local chapter.

If you have any questions about any of these, please e-mail Ann Shahid at ashahid@audubon.org.

^* Need a canoe, kayak or motorboat to participate and contact Ann Shahid to volunteer

Join Audubon today!