By Yousif Attia, Outreach & Content Specialist and Kerrie Wilcox, Manager, Project FeederWatch The occurrence of birds on earth is intrinsically tied to the climate. During winter, most North American birds either migrate long distances to avoid winter entirely or move shorter distances in search of food. Both of these migrant groups are affected by weather, which varies from year to year, but what happens when the change is so extreme that it gets “weird”? Results from volunteer driven winter surveys like Project FeederWatch, the Christmas Bird Count and the Great Backyard Bird Count h ..read more

“I have always been very proud to serve such a worthwhile organization – making a difference and the promise of a lasting impact in the world of birds is something we can all be proud of.” – Kris Dobney In the bustling world of bird conservation, there are individuals like Kris Dobney who quietly make a big impact. As Kris marks her 20th anniversary with Birds Canada, it’s a moment to reflect on her journey—a journey filled with dedication, hard work, and a love for birds. Kris is the kind of person you want on your team. As the Donor Relations Coordinator, she’s the friendly voice you ..read more

  Kate Dalgleish, Director, Development at Birds Canada Are you looking for a way to take your support for conservation to the next level? With Birdathon 2024 just around the corner, we’re inviting passionate individuals like you to join us in protecting Canada’s birds. To get involved, simply visit birdscanada.org/birdathon and sign up today. Create your team or personal profile, then pick any day in May to go birding. Once registered, start reaching out to your network and ask for sponsors to support your birding adventure. It’s your chance to raise essential funds and awareness whil ..read more

Gregor Beck, Senior Strategist at Birds Canada, and Kevin Kavanagh, owner of South Coast Gardens and Consulting It was a chilly and snowy winter in some parts of Canada, yet mild and dry in others. Regardless of your local weather story, birders nationwide are dreaming of spring migration and the diversity of birds wending their way northward. These welcome migrants add colour and song to the landscape. Gardeners, too, look ahead to spring as they plan which seeds to sow and which new plants to add. Knowing that many birders enjoy gardening and that many gardeners enjoy birds, Birds Canada ..read more

Amanda Bichel, Ontario Important Bird & Biodiversity Areas Coordinator at Birds Canada In October 2022, Birds Canada, in collaboration with WCS Canada and NatureServe Canada, began an effort to identify sites across Canada that are critical to the persistence of biodiversity, known as Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs). The KBA Program applies internationally established criteria to recognize places necessary for the persistence of biodiversity.  KBAs are an information tool that can inform land use decisions and conservation goals, and preserve ecosystems and the species that depend on t ..read more

The post The Bird-friendliness Index: A tool for grassland bird conservation appeared first on Birds Canada | Oiseaux Canada ..read more

Stuart Mackenzie, Director, Strategic Assets at Birds Canada Birds Canada is forever grateful for community volunteers across the country who have been instrumental in the organization having the national impact and international reach it has today. None have been quite so impactful as our relationship with Doug Tarry Sr. and Family. Birds Canada’s connection to the Tarry Family began in the early 1980’s when, as the Long Point Bird Observatory (LPBO), we began two major infrastructure projects, building our research and education facilities at Long Point: The “Tip” and Old cut Research S ..read more

We’ve lost nearly one in three birds in North America since 1970 – that’s almost three billion birds. In Canada, we are experiencing an alarming loss of long-distance migratory birds, especially grassland birds, shorebirds, and some neotropical songbirds. As the biodiversity crisis continues in Canada and around the world, the Motus Wildlife Tracking System (Motus) sparks the leading-edge science necessary to help stem the decline of migratory animals. On March 13, the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) announced infrastructure funding to support Canada’s leading researchers with an in ..read more

The post Job Posting – Web Application Developer appeared first on Birds Canada | Oiseaux Canada ..read more

By Jody Allair, Director of Community Engagement at Birds Canada Some birds just capture the imagination like no other. Birds that characterize far-off wilderness filled with Black Spruce bogs, scenic mountain valleys, and perilous long distance migrations to lush tropical worlds. 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. An Olive-Sided Flycatcher perches on a branch. Photo: Ian Burgess They are the quintessential long-distance migratory songbird. Incredible journeys, tough-as-nails appe ..read more