Project Feederwatch 2021-22

Cornell University Labs’ Project Feederwatch, a survey of birds visiting backyard feeders, starts this weekend.  With the nice weather we are still experiencing, it may seem too early for a wintertime bird watching project, but birds are well into the fall migration period.  Birds are an indicator species of environmental change because they are easy to observe, have predictable behavior patterns, and are popular subjects among citizen scientists who contribute significant amounts of data from observations for use in scientific studies.

There are several bird behavior studies being done using data collected by citizen scientists.  One study tracks when birds stop at their usual migratory rest areas and the availability of food during those stops.  Fall migration has been spread out over an additional 17 days in the last 50 years.  Food resources that have peaked earlier in the year are dwindling in early autumn, right when migratory birds are seeking those same resources.  Another study, at Cornell Labs, identifies wind patterns and their shifts over time.  Winds from the south are getting stronger in autumn.  Flying into these stronger headwinds slows birds down resulting in more birds congregating in local areas, possibly staying longer and requiring additional food.  Other studies track changes in land use, availability of water, and habitat loss along migration routes.

Project Feederwatch involves thousands of people observing and counting birds in their own backyards across North America, an effort that no research project has been able to duplicate.  Accumulated data includes the number of species observed for each area, the abundance of individual birds, the types of food being eaten, the identification of environmental factors that attract birds, and the timing and spread of certain disease vectors among specific groups.  Further studies from these observations assist in identifying long-term trends in bird movement and behavior.  

Project Feederwatch provides an opportunity to be part of the citizen science network gathering data on bird behavior.  If you want to learn more, there are several bird field guides available that can assist with information and identification.  Some of my favorites include:

• Sibley’s Birding Basics, by David Allen Sibley, provides a guide to the general characteristics that we can use to identify specific birds.
• The Birder’s Handbook, A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds, by Ehrlich, Dobkin and Wheye, provides basic biological information for 650 species known to nest in the U.S.  In addition, dozens of essays cover biology topics of special interest including breeding, displays, diet, conservation, and many others.
• The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior, from the National Audubon Society and illustrated by David Allen Sibley, provides lots of information on how and where birds live.  Essays cover a wide range of topics including classification, breeding, foraging, migration and many interesting facets of bird life and behavior.
• Eastern Birds’ Nests, from Peterson Field Guides, provides excellent pictures and descriptions for eggs, nests and their associated habitat for species found east of the Mississippi River. 
• Birds of Illinois by Stan Tekiela includes identification characteristics, range maps and photos for birds that call Illinois home.

Cornell ProjectFeederwatch	Project overview, data collection, history, staff, links to more information
Cornell Home Page	Mission, what we are about, staff, news
eBird	Cornell’s online database of bird observations
Tally Sheet	Sample tally sheet