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People often ask me what they can do for bird conservation. Join the atlas project! It is fun and the results are part of a foundation for conservation in British Columbia for years to come. - Rob Butler, Atlas Coordinator Endorsements The Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture (CIJV) Management Board recognises that the Atlas will provide a critical foundation to bird conservation in British Columbia, and unanimously endorsed the project at their Board Meeting on 20 November 2007.
British Columbia is an important part of the Pacific Coast Joint Venture. The BC Breeding Bird Atlas will provide much needed information for conservation planning. The PCJV Management Board fully supports this effort." - Tom Dwyer, US Co-Chair of the Pacific Coast Joint Venture. |
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Latest news from the atlas January 15 - 2010 is here and only a few weeks remain to enter 2009 data! The deadline to enter all data is JANUARY 31st! What will happen at
this time? ALL 2009 forms will be locked and you won't be able to add,
modify or correct any forms. If you still have 2008 data collecting dust
beside your binoculars (and we know you do!) or can't enter data online,
fill in a paper form and please get it to your Regional Coordinator soon
for review. January 15 - Act now to save our birds - by Margaret Atwood Birds have always been endowed with symbolic portent – from Chekhov to Hitchcock to Twitter. We ignore their decline at our peril. There are glimmers of hope, but only if we act now urges Margaret Atwood. Margaret Atwood is an honourary president within BirdLife International and advocates for bird and biodiversity conservation and celebrates BirdLife’s important work. Bird Studies Canada is a Canadian co-partner of Birdlife International and Canada's leading national organisation for the conservation and appreciation of birds. Read the whole compelling and passionate article of the importance of birds to human culture (and survival) past, present, and future here. January 15 - Quebec Catches Atlassing Fever Regroupement Québec Oiseaux, Bird Studies Canada and Environment
Canada have partnered to map all of the birds breeding in “la belle
province” for a second time. Field work for the second Quebec Breeding
Bird Atlas will begin this summer. That means there will be four
Canadian atlases underway this summer giving birders from coast to coast
a chance to get their binoculars and contribute to science. January 4 - A New Year of Birding Ahead When the New Year arrives the atlas Team starts thinking about the fun times ahead atlassing the province. We enjoy hearing about your birding discoveries as much as we enjoy birding around the province This is our third year of the atlas project and so you might want to start thinking where you would like to concentrate your efforts. The bird maps shows the coverage so far and your Regional Coordinators will have some good ideas too. Speaking of Regional Coordinators, the Atlas Team wishes to extend our appreciation to their superb efforts guiding the project in their regions. We also thank you for the breeding records from last year. And we are very grateful to all ours supporters who are part of this important project. And remember that some species start to breed in January. Drop us a note anytime. November 24 - Volunteer Support Application deadline December 1st Atlassers are reminded to get their Atlas volunteer expenses in to
the BSC Delta office before December 1st in order to receive a 2009
donation tax-receipt. You are eligible for a tax receipt for the atlas
expenses you incur while surveying. Here's how it works: We will send you back a cheque to reimburse your expenses (minus any
additional donations) AND a tax-receipt for your donation of the same
amount that may be used for your personal tax purposes. Deposit your
reimbursement cheque soon after you receive it. BSC will delay
depositing your personal cheque for a few weeks so you have time to get
your reimbursement cheque into your bank account. October 19 - Newsletter now online The autumn newsletter is now ready and available online. It's full of
stories from the summer and tips and new tools available to atlassers.
If you are still having a hard time getting data in, see the
step-by-step instructions on "getting started." Some great new tools and
tips are available for completing point counts and even a quiz to test
some atlassing knowledge. August 4 - 2009 has been a great year The atlas records this year are rolling in every day. We have over 60,000 records so far this year already surpassing last years total. If last year is any example, we can expect thousands more records to be added in the next few months. There are breeding records for 282 species of which 232 are confirmed breeders. Point counters have been hard at it with 229 species recorded. Many squares in the southern end of the province have been completed and records are beginning to come in from more remote areas. If you have a field notebook with records of birds you saw or heard, we might be able use the data in the atlas. Drop us a note. Tell us about your stories and adventures birding the province. And thanks again to all the birders, funders and supporters.
Find out more in the News Archives. |
What is an Atlas
Mapping birds is quickly becoming a world-wide phenomenon. It is fun to participate of course, but the results are an invaluable foundation of information for conserving birds and their ecosystems. Not long ago, atlases were books of maps but more recently atlases have on-line versions that are interactive. The BC Breeding Bird Atlas will be on-line and we hope to have a book too. To find out more, click here.
Join the atlas!
Anyone can participate in the Atlas. All you need is a pair of binoculars and some birdwatching experience or
the desire to learn about birds. You need to be able to identify birds correctly but you do not need to be
expert - all records are welcome. All data are entered on-line and the results will appear on this web site.
After you register to the Atlas, you will receive the instructions and forms necessary. You should also get in touch with the regional coordinator in the area(s) that you are interested.
The coordinator will recommend an area (10x10 km square) where you should plan to spend at least 20 hours over the 5 years of the project. You are also strongly encourage to report observations done outside of your square, anywhere else in B.C.
A statement from our patron
I have had a life long interest in birds. They have brought joy to an increasing number of people around
the world but especially in Canada. In recent years I have noticed an alarming decline in many
species I once considered a common part of my world. Bird populations are of course the proverbial canary in
the coal mine. The health of their populations relates to the health of humans. The
Breeding Bird Atlas puts scientific muscle behind vague impressions. It also stimulates public awareness and
even that sense of joy I had in my youth. — Robert Bateman, Patron of the Atlas. Photo by Birgit Freybe Bateman.
Bird of the Month
Peregrine Falcon,
photo: Peter Candido
The Peregrine Falcon is our "Olympic" bird as the fastest in BC and the world, reaching speeds of 320 km/h during its spectacular hunting dives toward its prey. Virtually exterminated from eastern North America by pesticide poisoning in the middle 20th century, they are recovering across the continent. In BC we have 2 breeding subspecies; Falco peregrinus pealei inhabiting more coastal areas and F. p. anatum of interior and northern BC. Check out the atlas maps for their distribution.
View species maps
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