Project FeederWatch Media Release

Did you know that you can learn about backyard birds and contribute to important scientific research without leaving your home? You can with Project FeederWatch!

Project FeederWatch is a joint project of Birds Canada and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that depends on volunteers like you to help us all learn more about bird populations. It’s easy to contribute. All you need to do is:

1. Join Project FeederWatch at birdscanada.org/feederwatch.
2. Count your backyard birds periodically throughout the season (13 November 2021 – 30 April 2022).
3. Submit your counts online at feederwatch.org or using the new Project FeederWatch mobile app.

You don’t have to have a feeder.  The plants, water and other features around our homes provide important habitats for birds year-round. To help birds, we need to understand how these habitats and the birds using them are changing over time. Your counts of winter yard birds tell us which species are doing OK and which ones need our conservation attention.

Everyone is welcome. You don’t need to be an expert birder. We provide resources to help you identify the birds you see. You also don’t need to make a huge time commitment – you decide how much time you spend. If you want to get a head start you can visit www.birdscanada.org/discoverbirds to create a list of the birds (and their photos) you are likely to see on any particular day at your location to help you prepare.

Even if you count birds only once during the season, that is a helpful snapshot of the birds in your location. Last season, 4820 FeederWatchers participated across Canada! The number of FeederWatchers climbs each year – we hope you’ll join this thriving community.

When you sign up for the first time, you will receive a poster of eastern and western common feeder birds, a Birds Canada calendar, digital access to Winter Bird Highlights (the FeederWatch magazine), and tools to track and explore birds on our website or mobile app.

You’ll also be able to connect with our flourishing community of bird lovers through the FeederWatch Canada Facebook group.  It’s a great place to share your exciting bird visitors and get tips on identification and bird feeding advice.

Project FeederWatch is also a chance to turn your bird watching hobby into valuable data that has the power to help birds. Researchers have access to the data you submit, which they analyze to see how winter bird populations may be changing. Understanding long-term trends is an important step towards conserving bird populations.

How do I start?

You can join Project FeederWatch in Canada by making a donation of any amount to Birds Canada – which also makes you a Birds Canada member. To donate and sign up, please visit birdscanada.org/feederwatch, call 1-888-448-2473, or email pfw AT birdscanada.org. In the United States, visit Feederwatch.org/join-or-renew/. The 2021-22 Project FeederWatch season runs from 13 November 2021 to 30 April 2022.

More about FeederWatch

Project FeederWatch has a FeederWatch mobile app available in both the Apple Store and Google Play. Participants have the option to use the app to keep track of counts, note snow depth and effort, and submit counts directly to our database.

For tips on helping feeder birds stay safe and healthy, please visit: http://www.birdscanada.org/you-can-help/keeping-feeder-birds-healthy/

Project FeederWatch is supported in Canada by our national sponsor Armstrong Bird Food and by Wild Birds Unlimited.

About Birds Canada

Birds Canada is the country’s only national organization dedicated to bird conservation. Every day, our thousands of caring donors, 60+ passionate staff, and 70,000+ outstanding volunteers are taking action to help us better understand, appreciate, and conserve birds and their habitats. Together, we are Canada’s voice for birds.

Media Contact

Kerrie Wilcox,

Canadian Leader, Project FeederWatch

Birds Canada

Tel. 519-586-3531 ext. 134 or 1-888-448-2473 (Toll-free)

kwilcox AT birdscanada.org

www.birdscanada.org

In the U.S., contact Emma Greig, eig9 AT cornell.edu.