Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 18:11:23 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Norm Saunders Subject: The Great Backyard Bird Count MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Great Backyard Bird Count needs everyone, everywhere > to count for the birds > > November 27 Ithaca, NY - It is well known that many > bird species are showing population declines due to > habitat loss or other human impacts. Now, people of > all ages and backgrounds can help monitor bird > populations-including several species that are > declining in numbers-by participating in the 4th > annual Great Backyard Bird Count February 16-19, 2001. > > A project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the > National Audubon Society with funding provided in part > by Wild Birds Unlimited and Ford Motor Company, the > Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) combines high-tech > web tools with "citizen-science" observations of > birds. The GBBC asks families, individuals, > classrooms, and community groups to count the numbers > and kinds of birds that visit their feeders, local > parks, schoolyards, and other areas during any or all > of the four count days. Participants enter their > observations at BirdSource www.birdsource.org, a > user-friendly, state-of-the-art web site developed by > the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of > Ornithology. > > Begun in 1998, the GBBC has engaged more than 100,000 > people of all ages and skill levels in the effort to > keep common birds common. "We're asking everyone, > everywhere in North America to take a few minutes to > tell us what birds they see on any or all of the count > days," says John Fitzpatrick, director of the Cornell > Lab of Ornithology. "By tracking changes in bird > distribution and abundance over time, such a vast > database can serve as the SOS signal for species that > may be in trouble." > > This is especially important for species that are > already showing population declines. GBBC 2001 will > put the spotlight on quail, a family of birds familiar > to many outdoor enthusiasts and a frequent backyard > visitor in much of the U.S. and parts of Canada. > "Although most people recognize quail when they see > them, few people are aware that some species, > including Northern Bobwhite in the East and Scaled > Quail in the Southwest, are experiencing severe > population declines," says Frank Gill, National > Audubon's senior vice president for science. "Because > quail are relatively easy to identify, even the casual > observer can play an important role in helping them by > participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count." > > Quail are flagship representatives of > brushland/shrub habitat. Loss of this habitat and the > results of some land management practices are the > primary reasons for declines in quail numbers. In > suburban areas, predation of these ground-dwelling > birds by cats is also a serious concern. Visitors to > the GBBC web site can learn more about all six species > of North American quail. > > The Cornell Lab and Audubon are also asking > participants to pay special attention to several > species of woodpeckers, including the Red-headed > Woodpecker and the Northern Flicker, which are showing > signs of serious population decreases. The web site > will include several features relating to these > species in need of special attention. > > Also new this year will be the GBBC's debut in several > Latin American locations, allowing the benefits of the > count to reach into a new region and affording a > fascinating glimpse of tropical backyards and the > birds found in them. This experiment is a step toward > one of BirdSource's ultimate goals: a hemisphere-wide > monitoring of bird populations and the educational > opportunities such projects present. > > Because the GBBC charts findings in real time, > scientists have already noticed some interesting > connections between weather patterns and bird > movements. For example, for the last few years, > American Robins appeared farther north than usual, in > areas where snow cover was scant or nonexistent. Such > a correlation may be caused by global warming or other > broad-scale weather changes. This year's GBBC will > again collect information about snow depth. > > The GBBC has also been instrumental in tracking > movements of winter finches which typically remain > year-round in Canada and the northernmost areas of the > contiguous United States but that move farther south > some winters during irruptions. The count showed > "southerly" concentrations of Common Redpolls in the > Northeast and across the Great Lakes and northern > Rockies. "It's thought that some of these species, > including Common Redpolls, irrupt biennially, as a > result of a lack of food seeds on what is typically > their year-round ranges," says Cornell Lab director > Fitzpatrick. "But much of this phenomenon remains a > mystery that participants in the Great Backyard Bird > Count can help us solve." > > To take part in this year's Great Backyard Bird Count, > just count the highest number of each bird species > seen at one time (to ensure the birds are not counted > more than once) and keep track of the amount of > time spent counting. Then log on to the BirdSource web > site at www.birdsource.org and click on the > appropriate state or province for a checklist of the > most frequently reported birds in that region. > > Results are updated hourly in the form of animated > maps and colorful graphs for all to view, thanks to > the online nature of the count. Participants will be > able to see almost immediately how their observations > fit into the continentwide perspective. Findings from > previous years are also available at the site. > > In addition to results, the GBBC web site includes > other interesting and useful information to make > participation easy and enjoyable. The site has a > vocabulary section, bird-watching and bird-feeding > tips, bird vocalizations, and more, including > information about House Finch eye disease. Educators > will find the bibliography and geography sections > especially handy and will be encouraged to conduct the > count with groups of kids. Tips for planning and > preparing a spring bird garden will also be included. > > "The Great Backyard Bird Count is a terrific way for > individuals, families, schools and community groups to > contribute to a better understanding of birds," says > National Audubon's Gill. "In return, they learn more > about birds in the process. I can't think of a better > way to spend a little time on a late-winter day." > > Instructions for participating can be viewed by going > to www.birdsource.org and clicking on "Great Backyard > Bird Count." There's no fee or registration. People > who would like to participate but don't have access to > the Internet can try their local library. Many Wild > Birds Unlimited locations also accept reports. > Libraries, businesses, nature clubs, Scout troops and > other community organizations interested in promoting > the GBBC or otherwise getting more involved can > contact the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at at 159 > Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, New York 14850; or call > 800/ 843-2473 (outside the U.S. call 607/254-2473). ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================