Why Study Birds?
Although birdwatching is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and checking off species on one's "life list" is very fullfilling birdwatching is much more than a recreational hobby. Birdwatching serves to:
- Keep a watch over species migration by keeping date-sensitive counts
- Make sure that important habitats for birds are properly maintained and conserved
- Bird counts can help assess if environmental projects are successful
- Use bird counts to measure biodiversity of an area
- To map migration of species
- Birdwatching and notation of interesting behaviors can lead to behavioral studies of birds
- Allow an important bird site to be established and maintained
- Get citizens aware of the environment and educate people
- Networks of birders can obtain large data sets for research
- Bird counts are an easily obtained indicator of environmental well-being
Important Resources For Birding's Service To the Environment:
- Important Bird Areas
- Climate Change
- Environmental Protection Agency (Global Warming)
- Partners In Flight
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Audubon: Putting Birds on the Map (article)