  |
|
|
|
Back Yard Birding
The GBBC began in 1998. Since then, more than 100,000 participants offered their bird count information. This year quail are a special focus of the count, as some species are on the decline. Several species of woodpeckers are also being emphasized. John Fitzpatrick, director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology says, "By tracking changes in bird distribution and abundance over time, such a vast database can serve as the signal for species that may be in trouble." Frank Gill, National Audubon's senior vice president for science says, "Although most people recognize quail when they see them, few people are aware that some species, including northern bobwhite in the East and scaled quail in the Southwest, are experiencing severe population declines. Because quail are relatively easy to identify, even the casual observer can play an important role in helping them by participating in the GBBC." Visitors to the GBBC web site can learn more about all six species of North American quail and about several species of woodpeckers, including the red-headed woodpecker and the northern flicker, that are showing sign of serious population decreases. Also new this year will be the GBBC's debut in several Latin American locations, allowing the count to reach a new region and affording scientists a glimpse of tropical backyards and the birds found in them. Because the GBBC charts findings in real time, scientists have already noticed some interesting connections between weather patterns and bird movements. For example, for the last few years, American robins appeared farther north than usual, in areas where snow cover was scant or nonexistent. Global warming or other broad-scale weather changes might be caused such a correlation. This year's GBBC again will collect information about snow depth. A project of Cornell laboratory of Ornithology (http://birds.cornell.edu) and the National Audubon Society (http://www.audubon.org) the Great Backyard Bird Count asks everyone - kids, adults, seniors, families, classrooms and community groups - to count the birds they see in their backyard feeders, local parks and other areas. BirdSource (http://birdsource.cornell.edu) enters the reports on line at an interactive, state-of-the-art web site developed by Cornell Lab and Audubon. "Bird watching is the fastest growing outdoor recreation in the country, enjoyed by millions every year," says Frank Gill, senior vice president for science at Audubon. "Combined with the Internet technology of Birdsource, this observation power will allow us to immediately begin assessing 2001's distribution and abundance of North American birds, the week before the spring migration begins." |
|
|
|
