Students in Los Angeles connect with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Students at Brentwood Science Magnet school in Los Angeles participated in Celebrate Urban Birds in November as part of their City Wildlife unit. The third-graders read Urban Roosts

by Barbara Bash , researched city wildlife, collected data on birds, and culminated their work by participating in a teleconference with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Lab staff were so impressed by the students' thoughtful questions that web pages were created to answer some of them in simple and visual ways:

• Great questions about birds
• Questions about feathers and flight
• Questions about food/feeding
• Questions about mating and nesting
• Questions about survival
  
  
"I learned that we should all respect the birds all around the world. I think that when I grow up I might be a famous bird watcher and then go to Cornell University." ~ Lea Yang (3rd grader)

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The Urban Divers Estuary Conservancy Celebrates Urban Birds on the Harlem River

On December 1, 2007 the Urban Divers Estuary Conservancy held an wonderful Celebrate Urban Birds event on the Harlem River.

Ludger K. Balan, Environmental Program Director, said, "This event was amazing. With 22 students and 3 adult teachers, we observed a raptor for at least 20 minutes above one of the tall buildings in the neighborhood. It was the greatest moment!"

"None of the adults nor the kids imagined we had such birds living among us!

It was their first exposure to these birds and to actually see a raptor right here in the neighborhood was a truly amazing moment!"

"We presented a live raven and crow. Twenty five out of twenty five participants could not differentiate between the two birds. After the presentation, everyone knew how to tell the two apart. It is not likely that we would spot a raven in the city, but everyone was quick to identify the crows we encountered. They were sharp to differentiate a flying murder of crows from a flock of gulls."

Note: Did you know that a gathering of crows is called a "murder of crows"?

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A Tradition of Sharing with the Birds

Start a tradition of sharing with the birds this holiday season. Pick a day that has special meaning for your family (Christmas day, New Year's day, winter solstice, etc.), go out the night before in the dark and set out a banquet for the birds! Include sunflower seeds, cracked corn, millet, safflower, fruits (soaked dried raisins or currants for example), suet (ask your grocer for suet in the meat department and hang it in a mesh bag), peanut butter stuffed in holes in trees, and anything else you can think of. In cities make sure that food is off the ground so you don't attract rodents. Use hanging feeders, hang fruit and seeds from trees or balconies, make or buy seed wreaths, etc. The next day, wake up early, sit back, and enjoy the view! Don't forget to take pictures or videos and send them to us to share.

Here is an idea from Organic Gardening magazine for your day of sharing: A birdseed wreath: http://www.organicgardening.com/featureprint/1,7759,s1-5-25-94,00.html

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YouTube Urban Birds Videos Needed

We are looking for a few, fun, short videos about urban birds, urban gardening for birds, and families enjoying birds. We are already using some videos (check out the Questions about Birds

section of the web site) and we'd like to use many more. We hope the videos will capture a sense of fun and show how easy it is to watch birds and collect data scientists can use. Nothing fancy is needed. A simple video of a couple of frisky House Sparrows works great. Youth are also encouraged to send us their videos. Send a link to your video or to your favorite YouTube to urbanbirds@cornell.edu.

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Kids Count: Young Citizens Learn Environmental Activism

Read a wonderful article in the October issue of Edutopia Magazine that highlights programs involving school kids in environmental activism through citizen science. Kids across the world are becoming the eyes and ears of environmental scientists by monitoring birds, ladybugs, flowers, nests, water quality, and more. Celebrate Urban Birds

is one of many top-notch programs mentioned in the article.

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Listening to the Birds Inspires Music

Musician Juana Molina describes her latest music inspired by the song of the Hornero--the national bird of Argentina: "When I started to write the songs for this record "Son", a new element that may have been hidden for a long time appeared, the randomness of the combination of sounds in nature. Each bird has a particular singing; nevertheless this singing is always different. It is not a pattern; it's a drawing, a sound and a mode--only a few elements that each bird combines in a new way each time. In the same way, sometimes I chose to sing a melodic drawing I develop for the song." See her profile in MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/juanamolina

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Help Birds

It's winter, don't forget to offer the birds water. A good drinking fountain for birds should be like a shallow puddle (natures true birdbaths). Choose a shallow container that is easy to clean. Although birds prefer water basins that are on the ground, consider if cats are a danger. If you think that a birdbath on the ground might be too tempting for cats, put the birdbath three or four feet off the ground. Place some sand in the bottom of the bath and arrange a few branches or stones in the container so birds can stand on them and drink without getting wet.This is especially important in the winter.

You can try an immersion heater to keep the water from freezing in a birdbath. These heaters are safe and cost pennies a day to operate. You could also try putting a light bulb in a flower pot and placing the water basin on top. The light bulb will keep the water from freezing. Learn more!

 

 

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"Zero Means a Lot" Stickers a Success!

Our colorful "Zero Means a Lot" stickers are beginning to have an impact. More and more people are sending us their observations even when NO BIRDS are seen. These wonderful, unique stickers are included in the Celebrate Urban Birds kit (see them on our web site

). It is essential that participants let us know where birds are seen as well as where they are NOT seen. If you'd like to have one sticker or a sheet to distribute, let us know by emailing urbanbirds@cornell.edu.

 

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A Great Excuse to Get Outdoors in Winter

What can you do to help birds survive in cities? Go outside, learn about the birds in your neighborhood, and send us your observations. Take your kids, grandchildren, or your grandparents. Connect with nature in your neighborhood by spending just 10 minutes outside watching birds for a good cause.

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PowerPoint Slide Shows Available to Help You Learn and Teach Others About the Focal Birds Species

Slide shows are available on the Celebrate Urban Birds web site in our "Resources for Celebrating"

section:  Let us know if you'd like ideas on how to use the shows, or if you need a CD to be mailed to you.  

 

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Share Your Celebrate Urban Birds! Stories

Have you gone out to watch birds in your neighborhood? We'd like to share your stories, videos, and photos with others on our web site and in Lab publications. Haven't gone out to Celebrate Urban Birds yet? There's still lots of time. Leave your computer, turn off your TV, and go outside to watch birds!

 

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Celebrating Youth

We've created a new section of the web site to highlight enthusiastic youth participants: Youth Participants.

Do you know any young people that you'd like to see featured? We're especially interested in kids that have found ways of connecting with nature through the arts or are active in conservation efforts by collecting data, putting up stickers to prevent window collisions, teaching others about birds, and more.

 

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Celebrate Urban Birds! Regional Representatives

We continue to compile a list of individuals and organizations willing to help us in their communities by:              

- sending  out a few press releases to local newspapers, radios, listservs, and other media    

- helping spread the word about Celebrate Urban Birds and other Urban Bird Studies projects in local neighborhoods     

- hanging posters and flyers in neighborhoods  

- talking to local reporters if called (optional)  

 

If you are interested in joining the team, please let us know.  We will send  all the needed materials (flyers, posters, press releases, etc.). Email urbanbirds@cornell.edu to let us know if you can help!

 

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Help Us Improve

Please take a few minutes to answer our online evaluation survey. Because Celebrate Urban Birds is entirely grant-supported it is helpful for us to know who is using and benefiting from the program and how we can improve.

Organizations and group leaders please click here. Individuals please click here.