Cape Fear Audubon needs your help in putting more eyes on the skies.
North America’s bird populations have dramatically declined over the past half-century, according to several studies.
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Cape Fear Audubon is seeking volunteers to record field observations for the North Carolina Bird Atlas, a statewide project that focuses on the distribution and numbers of species from the coast to the mountains.
The organization is hosting a special public event 7-8 p.m. March 14 at the Halyburton Park Event Center, 4099 S. 17th St., Wilmington, to discuss the decline in bird populations.
State Wildlife Resources Commission officials John Carpenter, a wildlife diversity biologist, and Elsa Chen, a biological technician, will discuss at the meeting how volunteers can help document sightings and plug that information into eBird, a smart-phone application.
“This is a crowd-sourcing approach, where volunteers sign up to survey specific geographical blocks,” Cape Fear Audubon Vice President Marae West said in a press release. “It’s a great opportunity for people to have fun observing birds, while contributing to a better understanding of what’s needed to protect them.”
Researchers have concluded that North America’s bird population has 3 billion fewer birds than it did in 1970, according to a 2019 report in Science. The decline is the equivalent to a loss of about one in four birds.
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Bird atlases have been conducted in the United States since the 1970s, but the North Carolina Bird Atlas did not begin until 2021. Data for the atlas is collected every 5 years.
Volunteers may choose from several survey blocks in Cape Fear Audubon’s survey area.
Audubon is also hosting Atlas-focused field outings. More information about those outings are available at capefearaudubon.org
