Flickr photo by Jerry Oldenettel.

The recent Jaguar sightings come at a time when a few local policy battles could determine the size and scope of the species US habitat. After years of lawsuits and controversey, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently issued a plan to recover the endangered species to its historic US terrain. FWS proposed designating 838,232 acres as critical jaguar habitat—covering four stretches of mountains in southeastern Arizona, a section of the Peloncillo Mountains on the Arizona–New Mexico border, and a tiny piece of New Mexico’s San Luis Mountains.

In addition to this ongoing controversy over critical habitat there also exists a potentially frightening roadblock to the Jaguar recovery as well as other species such as the Chiricahua leopard frog. Not too far from where this recent photo was taken is a pending proposal to develop a large scale copper mine. Rosemont, the local subsidiary of a Canadian mining corporation, is requesting permits to dig a mile-wide, half-mile deep pit and dump waste rock and tailings on more than 3,000 acres of National Forest land.

The draft Environmental Impact Statement  lists 27 imperiled plants and animals that would be directly harmed by the mine, including the jaguar. It says that the proposed action would directly destroy more than 6,000 acres of wildlife habitat and negatively affect another 90,000 acres. It describes significantly elevated levels of air and water pollutants associated with the mine, including greenhouse gases, and it states that groundwater impacts would dry up 84 springs and diminish or eliminate the flow of important perennial streams.

In addition to these issues highlighted by the Forest Service draft EIS,  EPA and DEQ have also issued concerns including:  Serious impacts to drinking water to local residents, potential violations to Arizona aquifer water quality standards as well as issues with 11 Indian Tribes. The mine site is alleged to contain up to 80 cultural sites, including burial sites, that must be considered and mitigated according to the National Historic Preservation Act.

Utah mine similar to Rosemont Mine proposed in Arizona- photo Earthworks

In this dry arid environment where water is arguably more precious than any metal, Rosemont Copper is proposing to dump untreated mining waste on 10–15 miles of streams and desert springs.

If you care about clean water and responsible energy development, and if you care about helping the endangered species such as the jaguar recover, please speak up today and ask the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers to prevent mining companies such as Rosemont Copper from endangering our fish, wildlife, and communities with industrial pollution.

Let’s give wildlife a fighting chance!

Speak up to protect jaguars, grizzlies, and many more wildlife from toxic mine pollution.

February 4, 2013 correction: This post was updated to better reflect the historic reasons for the decline of jaguars in North America, and to provide a broader view of the environmental and cultural impacts of the proposed mine. It was also changed to correctly attribute the recent jaguar photograph.

Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge Law Enforcement officer checks for compliance of fishing license. Photo provided by USFWS.

The uptick in numbers is a welcome addition to agencies facing more and more challenges. Hunting and fishing license fees make up the vast majority of state fish and wildlife agency budgets which fund the folks in charge of maintaining fish and wildlife as a public trust for all of us. In addition to license funds  being dedicated to the management of fish and wildlife, sportsmen and women have had the foresight to tax themselves to promote conservation through the purchase of the gear they use. This comes in the form of excise taxes on guns, ammunition, bows and arrows, and fishing equipment.

One of NWF’s first achievements was the passage of the Wildlife Restoration Act in 1937, commonly referred to as the Pittman-Robertson Act. This Act established the first excise taxes to be collected into the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Fund and distributed to states based on population and acreage.  Since its inception, the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Fund has provided more than $14 billion to support fish and wildlife restoration and management. Not only does the purchase of equipment help stimulate our economy, it also helps pay for conservation and restoration efforts to insure our traditions continue.

Another ascending number to note in the Survey is the number of participants in wildlife watching.  Last year this group of 72 million Americans contributed $55 billion to our nation’s economy. Yes, this population includes some hunters and anglers, but it is an independently growing recreational activity.  While all three categories are based on sustainable habitats, one big difference between the hunting/angling and wildlife-watching communities is wildlife-watchers have not yet taxed their gear to contribute to conservation and don’t pay license fees to watch wildlife.  Attempts have been made to place excise taxes similar to those on guns and ammunition to binoculars, cameras, backpacks, etc.- but to no avail. I have high hopes in the American people that these attempts are not over.

For now, let us celebrate this good news, revel in it, and plot and scheme for the future!

Are you a wildlife watcher?

1. Make a home habitat — NWF can help you create and certify your own habitat at home in your yard or on your deck.  Learn about our Certified Wildlife Habitat program and get started today. Join 150,000 homes with their own certified wildlife sanctuaries.

2. Plant a Tree — NWF can supply your family or local scout group or school with tree planting kits that come complete with lesson plans about trees for kids of all ages. Order a Trees for Wildlife kit.

3. Become a wildlife watcher — Join NWF’s Wildlife Watch team!  Kids and adults across America help us keep track of and record wildlife sightings on line.  You don’t need to be an expert. Start recording species this week!

4. Read with Ranger Rick — Help kids read while they learn about wildlife. NWF offers award winning children’s magazines that are proven to improve their reading skills while getting them more interested an involved with wildlife. You can order these Parent’s Choice Foundation approved publications today: Ranger Rick, Big Backyard and Wild Animal Baby. Ranger Rick also comes with a free online educator’s guide.

5. Volunteer for Wildlife — You can become an official NWF Habitat volunteer! We call them Habitat Stewards and they take special training to learn how to help schools, homeowners, gardeners and others get more involved with gardening for wildlife. Learn more about how you can become and NWF Habitat Steward.

6. Help Support Wildlife Conservation — You can support wildlife during National Wildlife Week by donating or fundraising for conservation and education programs through our special Razoo page.

7. Green Your School — You can encourage your kid’s entire school to be greener. Our amazing Eco-schools USA program offers children of all ages the opportunity to learn about energy and water conservation, recycling and get more involved with outdoor learning and wildlife. You can also create wildlife habitat at your school or place of worship with NWF’s Schoolyard Habitat program.

8. Go on a Nature Outing — And if you want something even easier on National Wildlife Week, you can also help wildlife by getting the kids outdoors for a little fun time at a local park or nature center. Not sure if there is one near you?  Just plug your zip code into our Nature Find locator map and find great outdoor areas and events near you.

Celebrate National Wildlife Week

Our National Wildlife Week website celebrates extraordinary characteristics of 45 wildlife species and has posters, trading cards, lesson plans and more for kids and educators.

Readers are, of course, encouraged to support National Wildlife Federation’s work by making a much-needed contribution to our ongoing campaigns to protect wildlife across America.

My daughter and I went to see the “sky dance of the American woodcock.” Here is a video about our adventure:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sky Dance Made Famous by Aldo Leopold

Conservationist Aldo Leopold wrote about the sky dance of the American woodcock in his book, A Sand County Almanac. He called the “meep” sounds “peents.” Here is his description of what we saw:

Up and up he goes, the spirals steeper and smaller, the twittering louder and louder, until the performer is only a speck in the sky. Then, without warning, he tumbles like a crippled plane, giving voice in a soft liquid warble that a March bluebird might envy. At a few feet from the ground he levels off and returns to his peenting ground, usually to the exact spot where the performance began, and there resumes his peenting.

Facts about the American woodcock

• Its Latin name is Scolopax minor and some people call it the timberdoodle.
• It looks like a sandpiper – very short and round with a very long beak.
• It lives in swampy areas where it can easily pick out earthworms from the soil.
• The naturalists said its large eyes are located behind its ears, which allows it to see all around.

Thank you to the Environmental Studies on the Piedmont and the Bull Run Mountains Conservancy for hosting this event! An extra special thank you to naturalist Dr. Tom Wood, who is in this video. He was very patient with the children and made them feel at home in nature.

Look for naturalist-lead events near you with our Nature Find tool.

Report your wildlife sightings with our Wildlife Watch program.

National Wildlife Federation’s Storytelling Video Diary Series shares the candid tales of nine NWF staffers from around the country; armed with their cameras in the Great Lakes, California, South Dakota, the Pacific Northwest, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC, these nine staffers will share with you their individual trials, epiphanies and stories as they unfold in their daily adventures.

I’m packing for our first-ever trip to Everglades National Park. It’s my kids’ winter break, and when we sat down as a family to figure out where we wanted to go, it was my wildlife-loving son who lobbied hard for the Everglades.

As I reflect on how our family evolved into one that spends lots of time outdoors in nature, one of things that made a difference–since I’m one of those thrifty moms–was the free entrance program the National Park Service offers.

It’s Free Several Times in the Year

Last spring we visited Virginia's Great Falls National Park during one of the free weekends.

• January 14-16
  Martin Luther King Jr. weekend
• April 21-29
  National Park Week
• June 9
  Get Outdoors Day
• September 29
  National Public Lands Day
• November 10-12
  Veterans Day weekend

Check out the list of participating sites and you’ll find a mix of not only national parks, but national monuments and national battlefields, too.

Now free entrance might have helped us start our love affair with national parks, but there are  many reasons why we keep coming back.

Things Differ With the Seasons

For example, our visit to the Everglades would be vastly different–from birds to bugs to sogginess–if we came during the summer months. Migrating birds always make certain park visits differ. Those parks with old-growth deciduous forests have a completely different look, and views, when those leaves are shed. Also, those northern parks seem to have a quiet calm during the winter months that is appealing to many.

My kids being sworn in as junior rangers at Acadia National Park in Maine. (Photo by Kristy Myers)

Junior Ranger Program

How cool is it that your kids can be sworn in as Junior Rangers?! The Junior Ranger program offers a flexible, self-guided schedule of activities your family can do while at the parks. If your kids complete the activities, they can turn it in for a certificate and a badge/patch. The best part is when they get “sworn in” by the park ranger. Bring your cameras!

Ranger-Led Activities for Your Family

Each national park has a unique list of ranger-led activities ranging from nature talks, walks and tours. Here’s an example of the ranger-led programs at Everglades National Park for when we’re there. Oftentimes there are special programs geared toward kids, like a touch-tank talk we attended with a ranger at Acadia National Park in Maine.

Passport Program

To encourage you to learn more about and visit other parks, the National Park Service offers Passport® to Your National Parks. My kids have loved exploring the information and thoroughly enjoy taking the passport to the ranger station to get a stamp for each park they visit. Our passport is one of the things I’m packing now for our trip.

We spotted these wild ponies at Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland. (Photo by Kristy Myers)

Seeing Wildlife

Of course seeing wildlife always ranks high with the kids. Through ranger-led tours and programs or with your own keen observations you’re liable to catch glimpses of all sorts of wildlife at national parks and refuges. Then, be sure to log what you spot through the National Wildlife Federation’s Wildlife Watch website!

Do you have a favorite National Park? Would love to hear about it in the comments below because I’m always looking for the next great place to take the kids. I know I’ll share more with you upon our return, but for now I hope you’ll Be Out There at a nearby National Park during this long holiday weekend!

Taking a break along the Appalachian Trail

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.”
~John Burroughs

I watch WAY too much CNN. And with all this talk of debt ceiling deals and credit downgrades, the constant din of “breaking news” is stressing me out.

So, I go for a hike to clear my head. As I surrender myself to the cool comfort of the forest, my senses tune in to my surroundings. My eyes soak in the various shades of green and the sun peeking through the canopy. I feel the soft ground giving ever so slightly under the soles of my boots. I hear an industrious red-bellied woodpecker in the distance. I breathe in deeply to bathe my lungs in fresh air. Ahhhhhh…

What was I worrying about again?

Oh right, the economy. Well, this little walk in the woods isn’t costing me a dime. If anything, it might be saving me on future medical expenses. There’s scientific research from a variety of disciplines that now suggests that outdoor activities may have therapeutic benefits. (To learn more, read Take Two Hikes And Call Me In The Morning.) With my stress now replaced with a satisfying fatigue, that isn’t hard to believe.

So, no offense Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper. But today I’m listening to the comforting voice of Mother Nature.

Tips to experience the healing power of nature

1)    Get our Free Summer Guide – Spend quality time outside with your family with these creative games, activities, and health tips.

2)    Participate in Wildlife Watch – Let your senses come alive through this nationwide nature watching program.

3)    Create a Garden Sanctuary – Learn how easy it is to turn your garden into a haven for neighborhood birds, butterflies and other wildlife.

4)    Become a Volunteer – Enjoy the outdoors while you help it. Find opportunities to join NWF’s efforts to protect wildlife and habitat.

5)    Search Nature Find – Use this handy tool to find parks, outdoor spaces and events in your area to enjoy.

And, if you’re thinking it’s too hot to go outside in your neck of the woods, here are six great ways to have fun even when the mercury’s rising.

This is a guest post by Adam Jack, who is passionate about wildlife watching and wildlife citizen science. He’s developed tools (such as WildObs) for naturalists and nature-lovers and helps connect wildlife enthusiasts with National Wildlife Federation’s Wildlife Watch.

On Twitter I’ve discovered and enjoyed many wonderful characters while exploring my passion for wildlife. There are park rangers and wildlife photographers, environmental entrepreneurs and advocates, wildlife gardeners and avid birders. Fascinating people … both connected to nature and connecting others to nature. I might never have encountered these folks without Twitter, and I’ve learned much to value from them all.

Google+ promises more of the same, plus some interesting new tools to make collaboration easier and richer.

Playing with Google+ Circles:

What ties Google+ together are Circles, groups of profiles and they allow you to organize the people you publish to, and to pick what groups you participate with or offer a hangout to. Create your Circles with Birders, or Wildlife Advocates, Nature Lovers or even smaller subsets (Colorado Wildflower Photographers) and communicate freely.

In the future, there will be a way to search Google+ profiles. Right now with the initial release, people are creatively using Google Documents to share their profile information and to find people of certain interests. They create a public spreadsheet and a public form to fill the spreadsheet.

For example:

• Google+ Nature Lovers: Add yourself at http://bit.ly/GplusNatureForm
• Google+ Birders: Add yourself at http://bit.ly/GplusBirdersForm

Google+ Photo Sharing

Google+ Photo posting can be done through applications either on the iPhone or Android, and it allows for multimedia; a much richer experience for eye-catching wildlife and nature photographs.

I spend my best times offline outdoors, and when hiking I pause for a plump puffball ready to pop, or a gnarly cactus in colorful bloom.

With a mobile device you can snap that picture without interrupting the moment. Photos are automatically uploaded behind the scenes, and next time you are at your desk the images are already in Google+, ready to share with a click and a note.

It is vastly more pleasant for all involved than tapping out something terse on the phone, and consequently I expect a lot more social sharing from the field.

Google+ Hangouts

Google+ Hangouts are group video chats where small groups of people can gather face to face online.

I was initially skeptical, but I’ve become impressed (even inspired) by some of the uses created.I’ve seen loosely associated groups holding impromptu gatherings discussing how to manage their solopreneur businesses, exchanging ideas. Others compare notes on how to work with a new technology. Neither formal nor structured, just like-minded individuals collaborating. That’s really something new and, network willing, it’s even available across borders.

So many roles in the nature and wildlife community could benefit from interactions with others.

There is enormous potential, such as:

• Wildlife photographers discussing stalking tips before heading to the field.
• Non-profit preserves sharing marketing strategies.
• Organizations teaching bat monitoring techniques to groups of citizen scientists.
• Advocates or experts holding online “office hours” for the public.

No need for typing or some pre-existing chat room, no need for set-up; folks can efficiently come together around a topic and communicate.

It is too soon to really know how Google+ will grow, and how it can benefit the nature and wildlife community, however these are definitely interesting tools for the community to explore, and it’s an interesting place for our online community to expand.

How often do kids spend time outdoors in unstructured play? Not too often nowadays. If you think your kids are getting that outdoor time at school, you might be surprised to find out that schools are cutting back on recess and P.E., or eliminating them all together. You might remember spending your childhood outdoors building tree houses and setting up bike jumps, while your own children simulate bike jumps inside a video game.

“The children and nature movement is fueled by this fundamental idea: the child in nature is an endangered species, and the health of children and the health of Earth are inseparable.” – Richard Louv, “Last Child in the Woods”

Only 7 minutes?

Kids are spending over 7 hours per day plugged into media- watching TV, texting, video gaming- and only 7 minutes per day outside enjoying unstructured play! My grandfather’s generation roamed 6 miles from home unaccompanied where he explored trails and climbed trees. My daughter’s generation roams an average of only 300 yards from home.

In a typical week, only 6% of children ages 9-13 play outside on their own. There are some scary outcomes from this “indoor child” epidemic, including childhood obesity and an increase in ADHD diagnoses.

Double Dose of Childhood Obesity

Over the past 20 years, the time children spend outside has been cut in half. During this same time, childhood obesity has doubled and adolescent obesity has tripled. Health issues related to obesity are on the rise. For the first time in our nation’s history, our children’s generation may have a shorter life expectancy than our generation.

Be Out There

So how do we save our children from “nature-deficit” disorder? We get kids outside! National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There campaign is working toward that goal. Some say it takes a village to raise a child. We say it takes a backyard, a playground, a park. Spend a Green Hour® outside with your kids or volunteer in your community to support outdoor play. The Chesapeake Mid-Atlantic Regional Center in Annapolis, Maryland is hosting a series of Be Out There events to support NWF’s mission to re-connect families with nature.    

Do you want to learn how to protect wildlife habitat and connect children to nature?  Are you looking to be a more active volunteer in your local community?  From sharing videos and pictures of your own backyard habitat to helping neighbors and schools learn how to garden for wildlife, you can help us develop and expand our Be Out There programs from your own home, in your own backyard, at your neighborhood schools, and in your community.

Session I: Be Out There™ Making a Difference

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

5 p.m. Light Refreshments

5:30-6:30 p.m. Educational Program

National Wildlife Federation’s

Chesapeake Mid-Atlantic Regional Center

706 Giddings Ave., Suite 2B ▪ Annapolis, MD

An RSVP is not required but if you email martinezk@nwf.org verifying your attendance by Friday, March 11th we’ll enter you for a chance to win a FREE one year subscription to NWF’s award-winning Ranger Rick magazine!

Gasland movie poster. Image courtesy of GaslandTheMovie.com

A debate has begun over Josh Fox’s film, GasLand, the Oscar nominated documentary about hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing or “fracking,” is the process by which natural gas and oil is extracted from the ground. Fox’s cross-country documentary records testimonies from families and communities whose drinking water have become contaminated by the “fracking” process and to shine a light on the darkness that has surrounded this industry “secret.”

With GasLand’s nomination, Energy in Depth (EID), a front group for a coalition of trade associations for the oil and gas industry, including the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), has issued a letter to the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences, saying that a litany of errors in the anti-drilling film should render it ineligible for best documentary feature.

“The filmmaker alternates between misstating and outright ignoring basic and verifiable facts related to the impact of these activities on the health and welfare of humans, wildlife and the environment,” said Lee Fuller, executive director for EID.

Still from Gasland the movie: a man lights his tap water on fire. Image courtesy of GaslandTheMovie.com

Last time I checked, people’s tap water lighting on fire greatly impacts the health and welfare of humans, wildlife and environment. Why is this so hard for some to believe?

We need to keep the light shining on this industry offense – send a quick tweet to the Academy of Motion Pictures and Science to support the truth on fracking in Gasland.

Because the truth is: fracking is affecting communities, from the people that live there to the animals that roam. Legislative Representative Bentley Johnson of National Wildlife Federation’s public lands campaigns explains:

“The impacts of drilling for natural gas leaves natural habitat scarred and wildlife populations decimated. Major declines in mule deer, pronghorn antelope and sage grouse have been attributed to the booming natural gas development infrastructure and development that is occurring in previously pristine areas. Hydraulic fracturing uses millions of gallons of water and the high-salinity waste water is often dumped into streams and rivers, putting trout and other species in serious jeopardy.”

Also during the hydraulic fracturing debate, you will hear particular phrases repeated again and again by industry and natural gas advocates. These common company lines often use tricky wording that deliberately mislead and deceive. However, they are legally able to stand by many of these phrases. Here is one example as described in Fox’s response to the letter called, Affirming Gasland (pdf) which de-bunks the industry’s response:

“This claim echoes the common industry line, “There has never been a proven case of water
contamination caused by hydraulic fracturing.” Industry representatives and lobbyists said this over
and over again in the film. It’s a carefully worded sentence that contains two major deceptions:

1) The word “proven” — How can you prove something that has never been investigated? HF [hydraulic fracturing] has never been investigated fully by the EPA. The fact that non-naturally-occurring chemicals specifically associated with HF fluids and drilling muds are showing up in people’s water supplies is the first level of proof; E-I-D [Energy-in-Depth] denies the testimony of the citizens. Very tricky wording, which belies the real truth. Quite deliberately.

2) The words “hydraulic fracturing” — The industry here defines HF here as the moment underground
fractures are split — and not the entire drilling process. The industry could never claim that there has never been a proven instance of water contamination due to the whole process of GAS DRILLING, but when they confine their definition to the single moment of the underground fracturing — a part of the process that has never been investigated — they can legally deny the obvious.”

Well, I can also legally stand by what I believe in and so can YOU by helping to generate lots of tweets to show support for the nomination. Go to the direct link at http://act.ly/31a or “retweet” the following and you’ll automatically sign the petiton: RT @wildlifeaction petition @TheAcademy to Support the truth on #fracking in @Gasland, not industry PR http://act.ly/31a RT to sign.

So if you’ve never seen Gasland, make sure to check out the film that has caused such a stir in Hollywood and across the country, and make sure to share with your friends this bit of information that EVERYONE should know about.

Many of those who regularly watch their feeders are satisfied to just to see the birds flitting back and forth between bush and feeder.  Others, however, gradually start trying to figure out which bird is which.  These folks will start looking at the difference between a red cardinal and the red-tinged house finch and others will wrestle with the distinctions among chickadees, titmice and nuthatches.  After a time, these watchers might even start to keep track of their observations and maybe keeping a list of what species they see.  So here are some suggestions for the backyard birder.

1. Remember you don’t have to be an expert.

Backyard birding is for your pleasure and for no one else.  If you are happy seeing the birds on your feeder and don’t feel a need to identify them that is terrific.  If you want to start figuring out what species you are seeing, keep it fun and enjoy.  There is no pass/fail test for backyard or balcony birders.

2. Get a good bird guide book.

If you would like to start figuring out what species are coming to your feeder or bird bath, it will help to have a birder’s field guide nearby.  There are many to choose from by such esteemed organizations as the National Audubon Society and National Geographic.  We are particularly fond of the National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Birds of North America because of its quality, good reviews by users and its very reasonable price.  These guides provide photos and drawings of the birds, information on where they live and what behaviors they exhibit and much more.  People find that even when looking up a common cardinal, blue jay, or dove, they learn interesting things in addition to what marking to look for.

3. Some basic field-glasses (binoculars) will help.

Some people have bird feeders and bird baths right outside their windows (even on the window) and others are farther away.  If your feeder is 15 or more feet from the house, you may enjoy seeing the birds with the use of binoculars or what we usually refer to as “field glasses.”  A decent (non-expert) pair of field glasses are available from most sporting good stores or stores that sell sporting and camping supplies such as the big retail chains.  These cost $30 to $50 and are more than adequate for the average backyard birder.   The more expensive and optically precise models are for when you might decide to start a more serious bird watching hobby such as taking field trips.

4. Practice looking for basic color, size and shape.

There is no magic to this but I like to start with size, using the sparrow vs. robin distinction.   There are many sparrow-sized birds (4-5 inches in length) that come to feeders.  Larger birds such as blackbirds, cardinals (6-8 inches) and blue jays also appear.  This latter group are closer in size to a robin than they are to a sparrow.

Colors are also a help.  Yellow could be goldfinches or warblers.  Black and white could mean woodpeckers, chickadees or nuthatches.  You may see sparrow-sized blue birds or buntings or larger blue birds such as jays.  Birds of many colors will visit your feeder and bird bath.

One secret to backyard bird identification is to look at the shape of the beak.  A cone-shaped beak means “seed eater” and identifies sparrows, juncos and finches.  A thinner beak says “insect eater” and indicates warblers, thrushes, and common species such as mockingbirds and catbirds.

Shape and posture can be telling too.  Woodpeckers hold themselves with their heads back and warblers like to stay more parallel to the ground.  Sparrows stay upright (usually) and nuthatches are often upside down on the feeder.

In time you will see other things such as how juncos appear in the winter (some call them snowbirds) and goldfinches become bright yellow in the spring.

5. Get ready for some very pleasant surprises.

Backyard and balcony birders are sometimes shocked (in a good way) when they start adding up how many species come to their feeders and bird baths.  The average suburban home with an established feeder will get from 30 to 50 different bird species during the year depending on location and other features.  People are often surprised to learn that Central Park in New York City has 275 different bird species that visit each year.  So regardless of whether you have a home that backs up onto woods, wetlands or farms or a simple feeder on an apartment balcony, there will be birds for you to get to know.

If you find yourself being a regular watcher and counter of birds at your feeder you might enjoy signing up for Project FeederWatch, which has thousands of backyard birders recording their observations to help the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

And, you are always invited to visit the National Wildlife Federation’s website where you can learn more about backyard and balcony birds and even certify your home as an NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat^®.