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Bird watchers look for changes linked to climate
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LITTLE ROCK -If you've ever watched birds at a feeder, you've seenvarying numbers of different birds through the seasons and the years. Do some of the long-term shifts reflect changes in the environment, including global climate change? The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Project FeederWatch is seeking help from bird watchers to help answer that question.

FeederWatchers count the birds at their feeders each week and send the information to the Lab of Ornithology. They've helped document unusual bird sightings, winter movements, and shifting ranges of some bird species over the past 20 years. To see the effects of global climate change, scientists say they need new and veteran participants alike to keep counting birds now and well into the future.

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission ornithologist Catherine Rideout said that citizen science programs are a good way for the public to get involved in collecting data on important conservation and management issues. "Project Feederwatch is another opportunity for people interested in backyard bird watching to contribute important information that will help scientists better understand winter movements of birds and distribution and abundances of bird species" she said.

This program welcomes participation by people of all ages with various levels of birding skills who are interested in birds, Rideout explained. "Program participants also at times report rare bird occurrences of species that are outside of their regular wintering range," she added.

Recent mild winter conditions may be contributing to the northward range movements of several nonmigratory species. The Carolina Wren, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal, and Tufted Titmouse have all expanded their ranges several hundred miles to the north in recent decades. Some migratory hawks are also remaining farther north in winter. Reports of Sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks have increased across the northern tier of the continent in recent years.

Project FeederWatch data also show drastic declines in Evening Grosbeaks across the continent. While grosbeak populations are declining, other species are booming. FeederWatchers in the southeastern United States reported record high numbers of Yellow-rumped and Pine warblers. Reports of woodpeckers of all kinds are increasing across the northeastern quadrant of the continent. Northern Flickers and Anna's Hummingbirds are climbing up the list of the top 25 most-reported birds in the Pacific Northwest. Twenty years ago they didn't make the list at all.

The 21st season of Project FeederWatch gets underway November 10 and runs through April 4. All ages and skill levels are welcome. To learn more about Project FeederWatch or to register, visit www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw or call the Lab toll-free at (800) 843-2473. In return for the $15 fee ($12 for Lab members) participants receive the FeederWatcher's Handbook, an identification poster of the most common feeder birds in their area, a calendar, complete instructions, and the FeederWatch annual report, Winter Bird Highlights.

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