Make reports of the birds I have seen to someone who will actually want or need the info. I think its important to correct information about where certain species of birds range. Any ideas ? I live in Ontario Canada by the way.
2007-02-18 05:33:06 · 5 answers · asked by Kelly + Eternal Universal Energy 7 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
The Audobon Society is conducting a Backyard Bird Count. The data from this is used to update the known ranges for bird species. It's pretty neat - you enter the data online and compare your results with others across the U.S. and Canada.
2007-02-18 07:51:53 · answer #1 · answered by Stacy 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Field guides don't upgrade when a bird's range expands, unfortunately, I regularly see a number of birds which aren't supposed to be in my area, but it's well known to local birders that many of those species have simply expanded their range northwards. As well it's been a somewhat odd winter with the cold only really kicking in in January so many birds which aren't supposed to be here stayed a little longer and some a toughing it out when they should be down south. I have a feeling if you get the Breeding birds Atlas of Ontario which is coming out this year many of the species range will be correct. Basically the older the field guide the less acurate the range maps are. Here is the link to the Ontario field ornithologist www.ofo.ca all kinds of useful information concerning birds/birdwatching in the province.
2007-02-18 15:06:10 · answer #2 · answered by crazy.carabid 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First, be absolutely sure the species you have.
Second document your sighting. Best thing is a picture. If no picture. Take as many notes as you can. Make sure to include the time of day, light conditions and the weather. If you know any birders near you ask them if they have seen it also.
Check with your local or regional universities or wildlife biologist. Also, the are many birding web sites. A simple search should yield a site specific for a bird.
Most birds in North America have extensive ranges. What really effects their range is the effects humans have on bird habitat.
I over winter many juncos, Junco hyemalis, their numbers seem to increase every winter. I put a built a house here in November of 96. That winter I saw maybe 8 juncos. This winter there are maybe 50 of them.
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Dark-eyed_Junco.html
2007-02-18 18:22:46 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are likely numerous birding groups and natural history clubs in your area that would know who to contact to record this distribution change.
As global climates change, we're likely to see a lot more of this. Critters that weren't found in an area, or were once rare, will become more common, and other critters will move away, becoming rarer in some regions.
During the climate shifts in the past, most critters (and plants etc) didn't have much problem moving their range depending on local climate variations, but we humans have erected so much infrastructure, barriers to movements and cut down so much original habitat that it's not going to be possible for some species to migrate anymore. I can foresee this becoming a major problem as climates changes in the future (regardless of whether the shifts are man-made or natural).
2007-02-18 16:05:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Is it possible that it's not their range, and they are migrating to another area?
2007-02-18 14:30:18 · answer #5 · answered by zoogrl2001 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋