Learn local bird songs with the Ottawa Bird Count Chirps, Tweets, and Trills Learn local bird songs with the Ottawa Bird Count A Volunteer Based, Scientifically Rigorous Survey of Birds in an Expanding City

Today What can we learn from the Ottawa Bird Count? Course outline How to learn songs How to identify songs 30 common or relatively simple songs

Today What can we learn from the Ottawa Bird Count? Course outline How to learn songs How to identify songs 30 common or relatively simple songs

> 50% of world population is urban Source: United Nations

Much more in developed countries Source: United Nations

Canada’s population growth is ALL urban. Source: United Nations

Biodiversity in the places where we live Are you interested in natural history and conservation? Where and when did you develop that interest?

Areas with the most birds also have the most people 50 x 50 km (25 Atlas Squares)

Even at the highest human population densities there can still be many high-priority birds 10 x 10 km

Today What can we learn from the Ottawa Bird Count? Course outline How to learn songs How to identify songs 30 common or relatively simple songs

Class Schedule 6 – Saturdays, through April 27 Saturday mornings 9:00-11:00 am Daily schedule: Doors open at 9:00 Course starts ASAP

Most of your learning is outside this room

Class Content Tips, Tricks, and Technology for song learning 70 – 90 species Start easy and get more challenging Common/Simple Songs, Robin like songs, Woodpeckers, Thrushes, Birds of Prey, Aerial sightings, Warblers, Sparrows, Chippers and Trillers… Ecological Monitoring (Standardized Surveys) Point Counts – how do they work? Census Plots and Spot Mapping. Four Letter Species Codes

Today What can we learn from the Ottawa Bird Count? Course outline How to learn songs How to identify songs 30 common or relatively simple songs

How to learn songs Practise, practise, practise! – Every Day Walking the dog Making dinner Riding the bus Make a playlist, load them on your phone, etc. anything that plays songs and will show you the file name Practise identifying them don’t listen passively Vital that you do NOT know the answer before hearing the song Also vital that you find out the answer before moving on to the next song

Tools to learn songs Other Sources for songs etc. Online and free: Listen to the recordings…Often! I’ll provide mp3 files for this course Other Sources for songs etc. Online and free: Dendroica Computer programs, a bit dated, but flexible Thayer’s Birding Software Smartphone Apps Audubon, Merlin, the Warbler Guide, Larkwire… Friends who know

Today What can we learn from the Ottawa Bird Count? Course outline How to learn songs How to identify songs 30 common or relatively simple songs

Tips and Tricks to identify songs Know what species are most likely Some songs are distinctive

Tips and Tricks to identify songs Know what species are most likely Some songs are distinctive Mnemonics – “sweet, sweet, sweet, I’m so sweet” etc.

How to identify songs Scarlet Tanager! Sometimes it helps to think systematically Where is it? It’s singing from the top of a deciduous tree in a large forest… What type or group of song/sound is it? It sounds like a robin and therefore it could be one of these 8-10 species… Of those 8-10 species what are the distinguishing song characteristics? It is also a bit raspy (robin with a sore throat) Are there other identifying sounds or characteristics that might help? It said “chip-burrr” so it must be a…

Today What can we learn from the Ottawa Bird Count? Course outline How to learn songs How to identify songs 30 common or relatively simple songs

30 species to start