Project FeederWatch Begins

Do you feed the birds in your backyard? If so, you can be a participant in Project FeederWatch, a winter-long survey of visiting birds. FeederWatchers count the numbers of birds at their feeders and report the totals, by bird species. This helps scientists track the movement of winter bird populations and track how each species is doing. Project FeederWatch is coordinated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada, but anyone can participate. All you need is an interest in birds. Homeowners, children, clubs and classes all participate.

The 2008-09 season of Project FeederWatch gets underway today, November 8th, and runs through April 3rd. Participants count the numbers and kinds of birds at their feeders each week and send the information to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Participants submitted more than 115,000 checklists during the 2007-08 FeederWatch season, documenting unusual bird sightings, winter movements, and shifting ranges--a treasure-trove of information that scientists use to monitor the health of the birds and of the environment.

There is a $15 annual participation fee, which covers your research kit and Project FeederWatch expenses. The research kit includes instructions and forms for reporting, a bird identification poster, a wall calendar and a guide to bird feeding. Interested? You can join at anytime. Full information is available on their websites. US Residents - http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/index.html. Canadians - http://www.bsc-eoc.org/volunteer/pfw/index.jsp?lang=EN&targetpg=index.

Photo: © Marie Iannotti (2008) licensed to About.com, Inc.