CELEBRATE URBAN BIRDS!

AT THE CROTONA PARK NATURE CENTER

The Crotona Park Celebration included a variety of activities focused on urban birds!

Participants made nests and got up-close and personal with a variety of live birds. This program was led by Eileen Jones, wildlife rehabilitator.

Free bilingual Celebrate UrbanBirds Kits were available. The public was invited to conduct a 10 minute bird watch led by the Nature Center Coordinator.

Sponsored by The Friends of Crotona Park and
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Cornell Cooperative Extension NYC

Below is a letter sent to potential participants before the event:

You can make a difference!

During the days leading up to the Celebration and on the day itself, YOU are invited to join us in an effort to study and document city birds through your own observations!  Don’t get nervous -- you don’t have to know anything about birds or science!  We will give you everything you need to know, including bilingual (Spanish) materials.  Your

participation as a “citizen scientist” requires a minimum of time and effort and can be done conveniently at any time throughout your regular day.  Just stop by the Nature Center or contact us at (718) 378 2061 to arrange to pick up your data forms.

This year the overall Celebration theme will focus on urban greening for birds through community gardens, container plantings and more. Your participation in this effort will directly contribute toward scientific research on city birds and the green spots they make their homes. Whether you are an individual, community center, hospital, church, senior center or school, you can be a part of this effort and make it come to life! 

In addition, we are putting out an open call for teachers or afterschool leaders to join us in preparations for our actual Celebration day.   Get your students to research city birds and create a special exhibit to display at the Nature Center!  The sky is the limit, but here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

• Each student researches a specific city bird (“Who am I?” project).  The exhibit could include artwork, photos and writing. 
• Participate in an urban greening project at your school (such as community gardening or container planting) and have students document their work in words and pictures for a display at the Nature Center.
• Collaborate with your art teacher and have your group design bird masks, papier mache birds, bird-mobiles or any other bird-related craft.
• Design oral reports, poems, dances or skits on urban birds to be presented at the Nature Center (or videotaped) sometime between 5/10-11th.

Your group’s contribution will be featured in the final Celebration and remain on display for some time at the Nature Center for the public’s enjoyment! If your students live in the area, they can attend the Celebration with their families on Saturday, May 12^th. 

Learn more about Crotona Park at: http://www.itsmypark.org/brochures/crotona.swf