UTRCA helps mark World Migratory Bird Day (UTRCA weekly, May 6, 2021)
May 6, 2021 – The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) is a partner in the newly fledged London Bird Team, which aims to protect and celebrate migratory birds. The team’s initial focus is on getting the City of London officially certified as a Bird Friendly City by Nature Canada.
The London Bird Team is also hosting events to mark the first World Migratory Bird Day to be celebrated in London on Saturday, May 8. The theme is “Sing, Fly, Soar – like a Bird! See below for event details.
We asked Brendon Samuels, PhD Candidate, Department of Biology at the Advanced Facility for Avian Research (Western University) and coordinator of the Bird Team, about his involvement.
Why was it important to you that London mark World Migratory Bird Day?
“Migratory birds are ecologically, culturally and economically important to London. Unfortunately, migratory birds are in steep decline: North America has lost nearly a third of its bird population over the last half century. World Migratory Bird Day is an international campaign dedicated to raising public awareness of the plight of migratory birds and actions that can help stabilize and conserve healthy bird populations. Here in London, there is already amazing stuff happening to support birds, and so this day is about celebrating all of that as well. Without birds, we would not be the Forest City!”
How did you get involved with London’s Bird Team?
“I act as the coordinator for the London Bird Team and was involved in early efforts to get this off the ground. I’m working on my PhD at Western studying bird-window collisions – a topic pretty central to bird conservation – and do a fair amount of volunteer work in London’s environmental sector, so I suppose my expertise was a good fit. Last year I was contacted by Aly, the person running Nature Canada’s Bird Friendly Cities program, and over several months of discussions we gathered enough community support to launch the Bird Team. Nature London has played a crucial role from the outset in making this happen, and I am indebted to them for all their support!”
What can people do to benefit migratory birds?
“There are so many simple ways to benefit migratory birds, and I’m looking forward to developing lots of opportunities for public education and engagement through my role on the Bird Team. I think the most important components involve 1) mitigating threats to birds, and 2) conserving and restoring bird habitat.
Keeping pet cats indoors or contained while outside (for example, using a leash/harness or a “catio”) is one of the most important actions, since cats are the leading introduced threat to birds. Second, retrofitting glass windows on buildings, especially near green space, by putting appropriate visual markers on the outside will reduce the risk of fatal bird collisions. Turning off outdoor lights at night during bird migration in spring and fall is also important to reduce skyglow so that birds can see the cues in the stars they need to navigate.
In terms of conserving bird habitat (so that birds have places to eat, shelter and breed), planting native species that support healthy insect biodiversity is critical. As estimated 95% of terrestrial bird species depend on insects in their diet! People can also support bird habitat by not raking leaves in the fall, since many insects require leaf litter to overwinter.”
What are you hoping to achieve during World Migratory Bird Day 2021?
“This day might mean different things to different people, but to me, World Migratory Bird Day is about sending a clear message to the London community that birds matter to our city’s identity, and that the City of London recognizes migratory bird conservation as an endeavour of urgent importance. World Migratory Bird Day should inspire awareness and actions that span the calendar year, especially through threat reduction and preservation of bird habitat.
As the event’s name implies, migratory birds do not belong to London; responsibility for their conservation is shared across the whole world. Indeed, the birds we are trying to conserve through bird-friendly actions in London are the same individuals that migrate down to Central and South America for parts of each year.”
Anything else you’d like to add?
“The Bird Team is only just getting started, and we have tons of exciting ideas for ways to engage the community in meaningful bird conservation actions and programs. Many of those ideas could benefit from the support from stakeholders in the London area, so I encourage individuals and businesses to keep a close eye on our new website – www.birdfriendlylondon.ca – for opportunities to get involved. In particular, I would love to foster relationships between the Bird Team and community groups dedicated to London’s Environmentally Significant Areas, since these are sites where conservation actions are most critical, and with groups that are dedicated to managing London’s feral cat colonies. Please get in touch with the Bird Team if you have questions or would be open to collaborating in the future!”
London Bird Team events:
Saturday, May 8 (all day) – Family Videos and Trivia
Check out a special World Migratory Bird Day YouTube playlist with videos made by UTRCA staff. Learn all about migrating birds, tips for birdwatching, and how you can help migratory birds! Get out your art supplies and learn to draw a bird, take part in nature challenges, and try a Bird Trivia Kahoot Quiz with your family.
Saturday, May 8 at 7 pm (45 minutes)
Dr. Chris Guglielmo will talk about using physiology and automated telemetry to understand stopover and movement of migratory birds and bats in human-dominated landscapes.