An Excellent Grassroots Bird Conservation Idea - IBAs

(Photo is a Western Tanager)

The other day on the BirdChat listserv, someone mentioned a concept in bird conservation that I was unfamiliar with - Important Bird Areas (IBAs). I looked into it and this seems like an excellent grassroots kind of a project that "regular" birders can be involved with if they so choose. This international in scope project is run in the U.S. by the National Audubon Society (NAS). According to the NAS:

"The IBA Program helps birds by setting science-based priorities for habitat
conservation and promoting positive action to safeguard vital bird habitats."

The NAS says here is what you can do to help:

• Nominate a site or organize volunteers to fill out nomination forms for sites in your area (contact your state IBA coordinator to find the status of nominations in your state).
• Organize or participate in a bird survey at an IBA or potential IBA for a WatchList species. (Contact your state IBA coordinator for information).
• Adopt an IBA and help to develop a conservation plan for the site in
  partnership with IBA staff and local stakeholders.
• Volunteer for a project to restore habitat or eradicate invasive species at an IBA.
• Advocate for land acquisition funds for an IBA where land acquisition is underway.
• Recruit and organize volunteers to help an IBA managed by a refuge, State Park, or land trust.
• Advocate for changes in laws and policies that would benefit birds of concern at IBAs.
• Participate in a Christmas Bird Count in or near an IBA.
• Develop a birding field trip program to IBAs in your area.
• Develop a slide show or children’s education program to teach people about an IBA and the amazing bird stories connected with it.
• Write articles and letters about IBAs in newsletters, magazines, newspapers,
  and other outlets to teach the public about the important bird habitats in their area.
• Follow the Audubon At Home guidelines for a healthy yard, and encourage habitat management that is beneficial to the birds of concern at that IBA.
• Help provide financial support to an IBA program (some Audubon chapters have donated Birdathon proceeds to IBA programs for example).

"IBAs have the unique power to unite people, communities, and organizations in proactive bird conservation, one place at a time"

- Frank Gill, Senior Ornithologist, National Audubon Society

I like it.

For more information on IBAs click here.

♫ An Enchanting and Soothing Bird Song ♫

I think the song of the Hermit Thrush is one of my all time favorite bird songs because it so soothing and relaxing to me. I ♥ to hear it in the woods ringing and echoing amongst the trees. A person can drift and lose themselves in a moment of peace when listening to this song. I sometimes listen to it before retiring for the evening just to have something relaxing on my mind before sleep. Here is a link to a web page that has an approximately one minute recording of this beautiful song: Hermit Thrush song
Enjoy!

************

A couple of outstanding books for your birding library...


[Mouse over links and images for book details]

The Birding Life: A Passion for Birds at Home and Afield


Through evocative writing and two hundred gorgeous color photographs, the authors of The Sporting Life and Living with Dogs capture the beauty, intrigue, and fun of birding—at home, in the country, in the city, and out in the field—with a special focus on the nostalgic memorabilia that signals devotion to birds of all kinds.


In Part I: Birders in Birdland, you will meet Alexander Wilson, John James Audubon, and Roger Tory Peterson, the iconic figures responsible for first documenting America’s native birds for the public, and Kenn Kaufman and David Allen Sibley, authors of today’s most well-known American birding guides.


Part II: Bird Houses welcomes you into the homes and studios of bird enthusiasts, artists, and collectors


In Part III: At Home with Birds, you will meet homeowners who have decorated their personal nests to reflect their love of avian life. 





  Kaufman Field Guide to Advanced Birding (Kaufman Field Guides)

The all-new Kaufman Field Guide to Advanced Birding takes a different approach, clarifying the basics and providing a framework for learning about each group. Overall principles of identification are explained in clear language, and ten chapters on specific groups of birds show how these principles can be applied in practice.

A Smile Inducing Bird Photo

Toucans are great aren't they?

Photo credit: Matthew Piatkowski