This section provides information about outreach and education tools, as well as participatory science projects that engage the public in collecting information about birds. Many participatory science projects already exist, allowing land trusts to easily tap into online monitoring tools, link to volunteers already collecting information, or even access useful data within their service areas.
Conservation Speed-Dating Workshop GuideThe Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative (VGBI) has worked with partners across three Regional Conservation Partnerships in Virginia to successfully build out a novel outreach approach that is accelerating the adoption of conservation best management practices in the region. Follow this link to learn more about VGBI’s Conservation Speed-Dating Workshops and download a guide to hosting an event in your region.
- Priority Breeding Bird Mapping Tool
Four regional interactive mapping tools that display eBird Status and Trends data with strategic land conservation data layers to facilitate strategic land conservation, inform habitat management plans, and help guide landowner outreach and engagement efforts, all through the lens of bird conservation.
- NABCI Field Guide to Developing Partnerships
Developing mutually beneficial partnerships based on common or complementary goals requires commitment, flexibility, and a desire and capacity to listen and understand the needs, values and challenges of potential partners. This document provides guidance on how to find common goals, effectively reach out to potential partners, and develop lasting relationships that benefit all players.
- Garden for Birds
Garden for Birds is a community initiative that provides guidance to bird enthusiasts about native plants and habitat features they can add to their properties to better support birds.
- Merlin
Merlin is a free bird identification app for your smartphone, offering quick identification help for all levels of bird watchers to learn about North America and Europe’s common and rare birds.
- Birding Trails
Birding trails are scattered across North America like individual strings of pearls. These trails, covering expanses of roadway across many miles, offer birders, naturalists, and general eco-tourists grand opportunities to explore diverse habitats near home and in distant places.
- Bird Academy
Bird Academy provides a collection of online courses and access to live events from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, including free online bird-related public lectures, educational videos, and birding-related games for kids.
- All About Birds
All About Birds is an online guide to birds and bird watching with information about 589 North American species – identify birds, learn about life history, listen to sounds, and watch videos of bird behavior.
- Macaulay Library
The Macaulay Library provides access to the world’s largest archive of wildlife sounds and videos, and allows users to search recordings by species for birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, arthropods, and even fishes. Additionally, digital audio guides are available for download.
- K-12 Education
The K-12 Education program provides innovative resources that build science skills while inspiring young people to connect to local habitats, explore biodiversity, and engage in participatory science projects through inquiry-based science curriculum and activities.
