The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is encouraging Manitobans to participate in one of the world’s largest community science projects this upcoming long weekend.
The NCC says “all you need to do is go outside for 15 minutes or more, at least once over the four days, listen for cheeps and caws, and watch for birds in their yards, neighbourhoods, nature reserves or local parks. You don’t need to be a bird expert.”
“The 25th annual Great Backyard Bird Count runs from Friday, February 17th to Monday, February 20th. When participants document their findings through the eBird app, they’re contributing vital information that helps experts track the health of bird populations in Manitoba.”
You can choose from several tools to participate and identify what they see and hear:
– Merlin Bird I app
– eBird Mobile app
– eBird on a computer
“The Great Backyard Bird Count is run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, National Audubon Society and Birds Canada.
Last year, just over 384,000 people in 192 different countries participated. In Canada, there were over 57,000 lists of birds submitted across all 10 provinces and 3 territories. It’s a great family activity and an excellent way to connect to nature close to home.”
The NCC says “bird populations are declining in Canada. Habitat loss is a major factor in that. On the one hand, waterfowl and birds of prey appear to be growing in number, more than doubling their populations since 1970. On the other hand, shorebirds and aerial insectivores like swallows appear to be disappearing at alarming rates. Loss of grassland birds in the Prairies is a major concern. NCC’s conservation work protects critical habitats for these species.
In Manitoba, NCC’s projects support more than 248 bird species, including species at risk such as burrowing owl, western grebe, Sprague’s pipit, red knot, and evening grosbeak.”
