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CG Traveller

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A partridge in a pear tree won't be the last bird you see this Christmas. Between December 14 and January 5, when the annual Christmas Bird Count kicks into gear, there'll be lots of fine-feathered friends to catch your eye. First organized in the early 1900s as an antidote to historic Christmas bird hunts, today's Christmas Bird Count — coordinated by Bird Studies Canada — holds the distinction of being the longest continuous wildlife survey in North America, attracting thousands of eagle-eyed Canadians at more than 1,800 locations. Over the past five decades, the data have helped biologists monitor increases and declines in the populations and distribution of North American bird species. Check the links below for more information on this year's Christmas Bird Count.

www.bsc-eoc.org/national/cbcmain.html
Ever since an American ornithologist asked amateur birders to play a role in tracking avian migrants in 1900, the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) has been an important monitoring census. Bird Studies Canada is the number-one organization in this country responsible for the annual event. Now that the CBC is in its second century, electronic media are helping birders keep tabs on their fine-feathered friends. Everything you need to know to participate is right here on the site. There are details and contact names for coordinators across the country plus the important database, entry forms and compiler's manual for anyone interested in participating.

www.audubon.org
The idea for the Christmas Bird Count originated with an American ornithologist and so the National Audubon Society, to this day, coordinates the enormous database produced by the effort of amateur volunteers. Birders everywhere are familiar with this important organization and, no doubt, frequent this site. Much of the information addresses programmes and projects in the U.S., but all birdlovers will value the important "Issues & Actions" section of the site as it offers insight into the challenges birds face and the role that humans play in protecting the habitat and way of life for our most colourful and accessible wild species. "Birds & Science" is interesting for all birders, and it contains the link to the Christmas Bird Count pages.

www.borealbirds.org
Canada's boreal forest is part of the largest tract of preserved forest lands on Earth, and it provides as much as 30 percent of the breeding grounds for North American landbirds. A new organization, the Boreal Songbird Initiative (BSI), is dedicated to teaching amateur naturalists about the importance of this precious habitat to migratory species. This site is loaded with information on the BSI, the boreal forest, its role in supporting bird species, policy issues, how to take action, and important research. There are also wonderful links to all the heavy hitters in the ornithological world.

www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca
Select birds and mammals from the home page of Canadian Wildlife Service and you are swept into the world of Canadian avian research and monitoring. There are main websites, programmess and publications plus an amazing list of hotlinks to regional sites that contain interesting information on bird census and study. Watching trends is an important aspect of managing wildlife populations and our highly mobile bird species rely on a sophisticated network of professionals and volunteers to keep track of their changing profile.