Today (Friday, Feb. 15) is the first day of Audubon and Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC).
This four day event helps our scientists understand more about bird populations. An event like this can also tell us a lot about the health of our own neighborhoods. And since some of us see all of L.A. as our backyard, this count allows us to contribute wherever we are backyarding, be it Debs Park, the L.A. River, or the Highland Park Recreation Center. To participate in the GBBC, simply log onto Bird Source , register, count for at least 15 minutes, and then upload your info. There are even some cool apps for your smartphone to upload your count info in real time.
In the Arroyo, several studies have been done by groups like the Arroyo Seco Foundation, North East Trees, and the Council for Watershed Health that list birds as indicators of habitat health. There are also birds in our area that are on the Audubon Watchlist, which means they are globally rare. From those studies, we are interested in finding out more about these species of birds and encourage you to get out and count! Here’s some more info about our special Arroyo birds:
California Quail – indicator of habitat connectivity
Allen’s Hummingbird – Audubon Watchlist
Nuttall’s Woodpecker – Audubon Watchlist
Oak Titmouse – indicator of woodland habitat, Audubon Watchlist
California Thrasher – Audubon Watchlist
Spotted Towhee – indicator of scrub habitat
Happy bird watching and thanks for your support!
