Project FeederWatch Benefits Birds and People
|
| Connection with nature promotes wellness |
 |
Ithaca, NY - More than 100 studies have shown that getting
closer to nature reduces stress and promotes a feeling of
well-being in children and adults. So, filling feeders and
counting the birds that visit may be just what the doctor
ordered! For more than 20 years, that’s what participants in
the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Project FeederWatch
have been doing - benefiting themselves and the birds.
"It is a great winter time activity for the whole family,"
says Alaska FeederWatcher Nancy Darnell. "If you have
children, they will come to love watching the birds. All of
this is fun and a chance to contribute to scientific
studies, too!"
The 2008-09 season of Project FeederWatch gets underway
November 8th and runs through April 3rd. Participants count the
numbers and kinds of birds at their feeders each week and
send the information to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Participants submitted more than 115,000 checklists during
the 2007-08 FeederWatch season, documenting unusual bird
sightings, winter movements, and shifting ranges-a
treasure-trove of information that scientists use to monitor
the health of the birds and of the environment.
“Being a FeederWatcher is easy and fun, and at the same time
helps generate the world’s largest database on feeder-bird
populations,” says project leader David Bonter. “We are
grateful for the contributions our participants have made
for the birds and are proud of the joy they say it brings to
their busy lives. Since we started in 1987, more than 40,000
people have submitted observations, engaging with the
wildlife beyond their windows.”
“Project FeederWatch opened up a whole new world for me,”
says participant Cheri Ryan of Lockport, Kentucky. “It’s so
interesting to watch the activities of the birds. I learn
something new each time I participate.”
Scientists learn something new from the data each year, too,
whether it’s about the movements of common backyard birds or
unusual sightings of rarely-seen species. Highlights of the
most recent season include the largest southward movement of
Red-breasted Nuthatches in the history of the project - part
of an expected influx of northern birds that fly farther
south when their food supplies run short. Other northern
species showing up in record numbers included Common Repolls
and Pine Siskins. Among the rare birds reported was a
Streak-backed Oriole in Loveland, Colorado-the state’s
first report of this bird, native to Mexico. A December
nor’easter deposited a Dovekie in Newton, Massachusetts, the
first time this North Atlantic seabird has ever been
reported to Project FeederWatch.
Long-term data show some species increasing in number, such
as the Lesser Goldfinch in the Southwest. Other populations
continue a downward trend, such as the Evening Grosbeak
throughout their range. Once one of the most common species
seen at feeders in the northern half of the continent, the
grosbeaks are declining for unknown reasons.
Beyond the benefits to birds and science, however, is the
benefit to participants. “Nature is not merely an amenity;
it is critical to healthy human development and
functioning,” says Nancy Wells, Cornell University assistant
professor of design and environmental analysis. Her studies
find that a view of nature through the window or access to
the environment in any way improves a child’s cognitive
functioning and reduces the negative effects of stress on
the child’s psychological well-being. Wells also notes that
when children spent time with nature early in life it
carries over to their adult attitudes and behavior toward
the environment.
Project FeederWatch welcomes participants of all ages and
skill levels, from scout troops and retirees to classrooms
and nature center visitors. To learn more and to sign up,
visit www.feederwatch.org or call the Lab toll-free at (800)
843-2473. In return for the $15 fee ($12 for Lab members)
participants receive the FeederWatcher’s Handbook, an
identification poster of the most common feeder birds in
their area, a calendar, complete instructions, and the FeederWatch annual report,
Winter Bird Highlights.
Many FeederWatchers echo this comment from Mary Strasser of
Wisconsin: “The greatest reward for me as a participant in
Project FeederWatch these many years has been observing
birds and behavior that I might have missed had I not been
part of this project.”
Note: Photos are available at
www.feederwatch.org. To find
local participants for stories, contact David Bonter at
(607) 254-2457 or email dnb23@cornell.edu. Visit the
“Explore Data” section of the web site to find the top 25
birds reported in your region, rare bird sightings, and bird
summaries by state or province.
Media contact in Canada: Kerrie Wilcox, Bird Studies Canada,
(519) 586-3531, kwilcox@bsc-eoc.org
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a membership institution
dedicated to interpreting and conserving the earth’s
biological diversity through research, education, and
citizen science focused on birds. Visit the Lab’s web site
at http://www.birds.cornell.edu. |
|
|
