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Learn local bird songs with the Ottawa Bird Count

Join the Ottawa Bird Count for a volunteer-based, scientifically rigorous survey of birds in an expanding city. Learn how to identify and appreciate 30 common or relatively simple bird songs. Discover what we can learn from the Ottawa Bird Count.

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Learn local bird songs with the Ottawa Bird Count

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  1. Chirps, Tweets, and Trills Learn local bird songs with the Ottawa Bird Count A Volunteer Based, Scientifically Rigorous Survey of Birds in an Expanding City

  2. Today • What can we learn from the Ottawa Bird Count? • Course outline • How to learn songs • How to identify songs • 30 common or relatively simple songs

  3. Today • What can we learn from the Ottawa Bird Count? • Course outline • How to learn songs • How to identify songs • 30 common or relatively simple songs

  4. > 50% of world population is urban Source: United Nations

  5. Much more in developed countries Source: United Nations

  6. Canada’s population growth is ALL urban. Source: United Nations

  7. Are you interested in natural history and conservation? • Where and when did you develop that interest? Biodiversity in the places where we live

  8. Areas with the most birds also have the most people 50 x 50 km (25 Atlas Squares)

  9. Even at the highest human population densities there can still be many high-priority birds 10 x 10 km

  10. Today • What can we learn from the Ottawa Bird Count? • Course outline • How to learn songs • How to identify songs • 30 common or relatively simple songs

  11. Class Schedule • 6 – Saturdays, through April 27 • Saturday mornings 9:00-11:00 am • Daily schedule: • Doors open at 9:00 • Course starts ASAP

  12. Most of your learning is outside this room

  13. Class Content • Tips, Tricks, and Technology for song learning • 70 – 90 species • Start easy and get more challenging • Common/Simple Songs, Robin like songs, Woodpeckers, Thrushes, Birds of Prey, Aerial sightings, Warblers, Sparrows, Chippers and Trillers… • Ecological Monitoring (Standardized Surveys) • Point Counts – how do they work? • Census Plots and Spot Mapping. • Four Letter Species Codes

  14. Today • What can we learn from the Ottawa Bird Count? • Course outline • How to learn songs • How to identify songs • 30 common or relatively simple songs

  15. How to learn songs • Practise, practise, practise! – Every Day • Walking the dog • Making dinner • Riding the bus • Make a playlist, load them on your phone, etc. anything that plays songs and will show you the file name • Practise identifying them don’t listen passively • Vital that you do NOT know the answer before hearing the song • Also vital that you find out the answer before moving on to the next song

  16. Tools to learn songs Listen to the recordings…Often! I’ll provide mp3 files for this course Other Sources for songs etc. Online and free: Dendroica Computer programs, a bit dated, but flexible Thayer’s Birding Software Smartphone Apps Audubon, Merlin, the Warbler Guide, Larkwire… Friends who know

  17. Today • What can we learn from the Ottawa Bird Count? • Course outline • How to learn songs • How to identify songs • 30 common or relatively simple songs

  18. Tips and Tricks to identify songs • Know what species are most likely • Some songs are distinctive

  19. Tips and Tricks to identify songs • Know what species are most likely • Some songs are distinctive • Mnemonics – “sweet, sweet, sweet, I’m so sweet” etc.

  20. Scarlet Tanager! How to identify songs • Sometimes it helps to think systematically • Where is it? • It’s singing from the top of a deciduous tree in a large forest… • What type or group of song/sound is it? • It sounds like a robin and therefore it could be one of these 8-10 species… • Of those 8-10 species what are the distinguishing song characteristics? • It is also a bit raspy (robin with a sore throat) • Are there other identifying sounds or characteristics that might help? • It said “chip-burrr” so it must be a…

  21. Today • What can we learn from the Ottawa Bird Count? • Course outline • How to learn songs • How to identify songs • 30 common or relatively simple songs

  22. 30 species to start

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