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SwiftWatch
May - September
A flexible solo or group activity that can take place any time from dawn till dusk. Counting Chimney Swifts is quick to learn and the birds are delightful to observe.
Project NestWatch
Observing bird nests is a wonderful way to get to know the birds better. You can collect data on a flexible schedule and learn as you go.
©Northern Yellow WarblerPhoto: Sandra Vandervalk
©Northern Yellow WarblerPhoto: Sandra Vandervalk
A Tree Swallow darting into a nest box or an American Robin carrying nesting materials to a tree – with Project NestWatch, volunteers turn their bird sightings into valuable data that helps track bird populations and environmental change.
Project NestWatch is a long-term monitoring program of breeding birds and nesting activity in Canada. When you gather data through this project you're helping to provide important information on the health of bird populations and changes in the environment. Participation is straightforward and doesn’t require specialized skills, you simply register, look for nests, and then monitor nesting activity every 3-5 days. Instruction is provided upon registration.
Thousands of volunteers and researchers from across the country monitor, record and submit nest observations each year. As a volunteer, your efforts contribute important information for understanding, research and conservation of wild birds and their habitats.
Using Project NestWatch data, we can:
- Document distributions of breeding birds in Canada.
- Monitor bird health and changes to breeding populations.
- Evaluate impacts of changes in the landscape and long-term climate patterns.
Better understand the timing of nesting across Canada.
©Yellow-throated VireoPhoto: Gabriel Evans-Cook
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