The grasslands of the Canadian Prairies are a world of weird and wonderful birds. However, the habitat that these birds depend on are one of the most threatened and under-protected biomes on the planet. To address this challenge, Birds Canada has been working to develop the Bird-friendliness Index (BFI).
Following on the Legacy that Doug and the Tarry family helped to establish, we are now entering another phase of rejuvenation as we reimagine the future of our LPBO and Birds Canada facilities. Long Point is our heritage, our home, and with the help of support from families like the Tarry’s, our future.
The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is investing over $3.1 million in Motus, a program of Birds Canada in partnership with Canadian universities, including Western University, the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Guelph, the University of Waterloo, and Acadia University, to study and conserve migratory animals in peril.
Some birds just capture the imagination like no other. For me, one of these birds is the Olive-sided Flycatcher. So what a perfect bird to take center stage as Birds Canada’s 2024 Avian Ambassador.
One of the most inspiring highlights of 2023 was the return of so many dedicated Birdathon participants. George Pond, Ron and Lynda Valentine, and Dwight and Barbara Neufeld are just a few who have been doing Birdathon for over 30 years. Amazing!
Behind the scenes, Birds Canada’s SwiftWatch programs are working with municipalities across provinces to find a solution for the rapid loss of chimneys used by Chimney Swifts – a Threatened Species in Canada.
On February 14, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced an investment of $3 million to Birds Canada. The funding will support Citizen Science programs and open data, providing access to over 200 million data records gathered by volunteers and professional biologists on the distribution, abundance, and population trends for birds in Canada.
In the Metro Vancouver region, we are lucky to have two very special Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA), the Burrard Inlet & Howe Sound which is located immediately north of Vancouver, and the Fraser River Estuary immediately south of Vancouver.
Fun for one becomes multiplied when birders join forces for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). Participating with friends, family, or a community group means there are more eyes to spot the birds and a deeper well of knowledge to draw from.
Birds Canada delivers the Marsh Monitoring Program throughout southern Canada—in British Columbia, the Prairies, Great Lakes, Quebec, and the Maritimes. The success of the program would not be possible without the dedication of volunteer participants and regional coordinators who generously give their time and effort for the cause, so thank you!
