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The Campaign for Bird Conservation
Our native birds are facing big challenges.
It’s not clear why, but some of our most familiar and beloved birds—such as the American Kestrel, Eastern Meadowlark, and Baltimore Oriole—are not as abundant as they once were across the state.
These declines challenge us to understand what’s happening and to develop strategies that will ensure that populations of such species remain healthy.
To increase Mass Audubon’s capacity to understand and ability to respond to the disturbing declines in our native birdlife, we have embarked on a $1 million Campaign for Bird Conservation.
CAMPAIGN INITIATIVES
Initiatives supported by the Campaign include:
- Breeding Bird Atlas II
This massive undertaking is the single most critical tool we use to assess the breeding status of birds in Massachusetts. Six hundred volunteers – ornithologists, other field researchers, and many serious amateur birders – are methodically surveying the state to record breeding bird activity.
Ongoing survey research will be completed in 2011 and combined with results from the first Massachusetts Breeding Bird Atlas from 1974-1979 to provide a crucial picture of how the state’s bird distribution has changed in the last 30 years, plus give us an abundance of new information on which to base our protection and conservation efforts. As the new Breeding Bird Atlas is fully web-based, preliminary results are already available. This is citizen science at its best!
- Birds to Watch
This web-based, citizen-action program enlists thousands of volunteers to observe and report on the status of specific declining “common” birds in their neighborhoods. Our successful Oriole Project, which gathered over 3,400 reports from 1,400 localities in 266 Massachusetts towns in 2008 alone, shows the tremendous promise of this program. We have also launched projects on whip-poor-wills and kestrels.
- A Common Wealth of Birds
A comprehensive summary of the current situation of Massachusetts’ avifauna, the State of Breeding Birds of the Commonwealth report will bring together and analyze all relevant information, describing the nature of current threats and setting practical priorities for conservation. The baseline report will serve as the foundation for regular updates.
- Important Bird Areas (IBA)
An Important Bird Area is an internationally recognized site providing essential habitat to one or more species of breeding, wintering, and/or migrating birds. The 79 Massachusetts IBAs encompassing over 900 acres have been designated, mapped, and displayed on the Mass Audubon website. In addition, educational posters and signs for our properties that are designated IBS's will be created.
Ongoing monitoring of these IBA sites is needed, along with public education and community outreach, to ultimately ensure that these critical bird habitats are fully protected and appropriately managed. To quote one of the program’s founders, “This is bird conservation from the bird’s point of view.”
With your support, we will reach our $1 million goal!
Give Now
Your gift can be made conveniently and securely by credit card online.
Give By Phone
Call Campaign Manager Henrietta Yelle at 781-259-2239
Give By Mail
Download a donation form and return it by mail.
Questions?
If you have any questions, or would like more information, please contact Henrietta Yelle at 781-259-2239 or hyelle@massaudubon.org.
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