Canadian Migration Monitoring Network
The Canadian Migration Monitoring Network (CMMN) brings together independent bird observatories across Canada, Birds Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada, to better understand the birds that move through the country each year. Together, the CMMN collects long-term data on more than 200 bird species, helping track population changes over time, deepening our understanding of birds and the natural world in Canada. This research helps inform conservation action and supports the protection of habitats that birds depend on.
©Swainson's Thrush, South AmericaAndres Posada
©Swainson's Thrush, South AmericaAndres Posada
Member observatories annually undertake standardized daily migration monitoring, usually with a combination of visual counts and banding, and also conduct and support independent and collaborative research on migratory birds and other wildlife. Observatories also provide training opportunities for students, biologists and researchers, and engage in a variety of outreach and education activities that increase understanding, appreciation and conservation of Canadian birds and their habitats.
Most observatories participate in the CMMN’s core cooperative project, the Trend Monitoring Program (TMP). Birds Canada calculates migration count trends every two years, archives data, and makes results available online. Trends for boreal-breeding species are among the Network’s most valuable contributions to conservation assessment, because individuals counted during migration come from all parts of the breeding range, including regions beyond the road-accessible, mainly southern, portions of the boreal that are sampled by the Breeding Bird Survey.
Join the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network
If you're part of a monitoring station and are interested in becoming a member, explore the resources and then apply.