Birding With a Purpose: Audubon of Martin County

Birding with a Purpose

If you have participated in a Christmas Bird Count, placed feeders or bird boxes in your back yard, or created suitable bird habitat at your home or other wildlife restoration site, you are "birding with a purpose." Many Audubon of Martin County volunteers and other local birders have participated in such projects for their own enjoyment, for conservation, and to provide scientists with valuable information about bird populations and migrations.

Cornell Online Bird Behaviour Course

Cornell online bird behavior course Cornell Labs Online Bird Behaviour Course Time to register for five-weeks course beginning March 31. The goal of “Investigating Behavior: Courtship and Rivalry in Birds” is to help people learn how to observe and interpret bird behavior and communication. A basic principle of bird behavior as it relates to survival and reproduction is explored each week using multimedia and interactive activities, guided by an instructor.

Kestrel Sightings Needed South of Orlando

The FWC needs your help in mapping the current distribution of Southeastern American Kestrels in peninsular Florida. Wanted: Sightings of kestrels in the Florida peninsula SOUTH OF 28.5 degrees latitude (Brooksville-Orlando-Titusville). Only sightings from May - July are needed. Please send locality information (nearest town, highway, or other landmark) or GPS coordinates to: Karl E. Miller, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 1105 SW Williston Road, Gainesville, FL 32601 karl.miller@myfwc.com

Bird-Friendly Back Yards

Spring Birdathon

Our Spring Birdathon is a very important fundraiser for Audubon of Martin County. As part of the National Audubon Society Birdathon, it is the world's largest bird-watching competition. Every year, thousands of people join to count birds, have fun, and raise funds for Audubon's mission of environmental conservation, education, and advocacy.

People count birds and collect pledges from sponsors based on the number of species that they see. The Audubon of Martin County Birdathon is held each spring when birds are migrating and more species are likely to be seen.

Christmas Bird Count

The annual Stuart Christmas Bird Count, sponsored by the National Audubon Society, is the oldest and largest wildlife survey in the world. For more than 100 years, birders at all levels, from inexperienced to advanced, have joined together to count the number of birds of each species in a specified area. At Audubon of Martin County, we have one count a year in December. Results of previous bird counts.

Birdsource

BirdSource, Birding with a Purpose is a partnership between citizens and scientists that is designed and managed by the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. BirdSource "offers the estimated 60 million Americans who enjoy watching birds the opportunity to 'bird with a purpose' when they record and share their counts of birds online. Through extensive citizen participation, BirdSource is becoming a powerful new tool for bird conservation and education."

Great Backyard Bird Count

A joint project of National Audubon and Cornell, the Great Backyard Bird Count takes place Feb 13-16, 2009. It is an enjoyable and educational way for the thousands of people who participate to give scientists a snapshot of North American bird populations. Participants are asked to spend at least 15 minutes to count and record birds that they see in their backyards, a local park, or other natural area, and submit the results online. Results from thousands of participants help ornithologists to determine how bird populations are coping with winter weather, where certain species are spending the winter, and whether species of concern are increasing or decreasing in numbers. Additional information at GBBC News Release

Sibley Online Guide to Birds

Sibley Birds At Sibley's Online Guide, you can search common & scientific name for illustrations and eco-data for 30 families; 840 species

The Great Florida Birding Trail

GFBT Logo The Great Florida Birding Trail (GFBT) is a program of the FWC. At its core is a network of 489 sites throughout Florida selected for their excellent birdwatching or bird education opportunities. This 2000-mile, self-guided highway trail is designed to conserve and enhance Florida's bird habitat by promoting birdwatching activities, conservation education and economic opportunity.

Florida Master Naturalist Program

The Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) is a statewide program developed by the University of Florida/IFAS that requires 40 contact hours in education for all participants. FMNP targets people interested in learning more about Florida's natural ecosystems and conservation issues. The FMNP is appropriate for Florida's citizens and seasonal residents, volunteers, and professionals interested in improving their environmental knowledge.

The Birdhouse Network

The Birdhouse Network is a citizen-science monitoring program in North America. It is intended for people of all ages and backgrounds who provide nest boxes for cavity-nesting birds and then observe and record the lives of these birds throughout the breeding season. The Birdhouse Network is hoping to understand more about the breeding biology of species that nest in cavities — natural and human-made — and what factors are influencing their population numbers and breeding success. The researchers are also studying environmental factors such as pesticide application, which may affect nesting success.

The Birdhouse Network Website explains the basics on nest boxes such as size, placement, monitoring, and reporting on results.