Counting is Caring: Be a Part of the Great Backyard Bird Count

Show the wild birds some love by taking part in the 23rd Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). This year’s count begins on Valentine’s Day, Friday, February 14, and continues through Monday, February 17. Volunteers from around the world count the birds they see for at least 15 minutes on one or more …

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Historic release bolsters one of Canada’s most endangered birds

With the release of 66 greater sage-grouse into the wild, the Calgary Zoo, in partnership with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and Parks Canada, has significantly boosted one of Canada’s most endangered birds at a time when fewer than 250 remain in their habitat. This milestone release is the …

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Project Feeder Watch Celebrates 30 Years

Project FeederWatch celebrated its 30th anniversary last winter, thanks to dedicated participants who observe birds at their feeders. The information collected through this project over three decades allows scientists to measure important changes in North America’s winter bird populations over time. All are invited to join in this fun and …

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Birds & Tailings Ponds – a deadly combination

Imagine you’re a bird in flight, high in the sky, heading from your wintering grounds in South America to the Boreal Forest, along with a dozen other birds. You make the journey every year because that forest is your breeding ground. Migration, built into your genes like the colour of …

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Who’s Making Babies Where?

It’s a little embarrassing to admit this but when I discovered the BC Breeding Bird Atlas tears came to my eyes. I know. I should get a life. My tears weren’t about sadness, though, they were about so many people, largely volunteers, working together to create this extraordinary resource. Over …

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Endangered Burrowing Owls Given a Head Start

Endangered species come in all shapes and sizes, and the Calgary Zoo is launching an innovative conservation project to save one of the most unique owls in the country — the burrowing owl. Working in partnership with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)’s Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) and Alberta Environment …

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Get Involved Today with Canada’s IBA Program!

A new video showcases Canada’s Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas Program, highlighting some of Canada’s cherished bird species, the special places they call home, and the dedicated volunteers – or IBA Caretakers – who are working to help safeguard Canada’s Important Bird Areas (IBAs).    Canada’s IBA Program is a global BirdLife International initiative to …

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New Report: Boreal Birds Need Half

One of the world’s greatest migrations is happening now. Billions of migratory birds are heading from the U.S., Central and South America to what’s been dubbed “North America’s bird nursery” —the sprawling billion-plus-acre boreal forest that spans the continent from Alaska across Canada to Newfoundland and Labrador—to nest and produce …

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On How to Woo a Female Finch

Frogs are croaking, insects are hatching, and the mini-daffs are in bloom. It’s spring! These days I wake to the glorious song of the House Finches, whose song first piqued my curiosity about birdsong. Did you ever wonder (as I did) how such tiny creatures belted out such beautiful melodies? …

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