We hear them, but often we don't take the time to look at them. This weekend is an opportunity to observe birds since it is one of the two annual counting weekends organized by the Bird Protection League (LPO). The first takes place on the last weekend of January and the second on the last weekend of May.
“This count is used to help us understand bird trends in gardens, which species are in decline or increase,” says Rishane Colas, LPO refuge project manager. “Anything that impacts birds will impact many other species. Their behavior is really well studied, so birds will be a barometer for all of biodiversity and reflect what is happening to other species. »
Instructions for use
Concretely, even housewarmers will find what they're looking for: no need to leave the house, just stand at the window for an hour and count the birds that land in the garden.
“Gardens constitute a very large area in France and we want to understand if birds use this environment in the same way as they use natural environments,” continues Rishane Colas. What's great about counting garden birds is that everyone can participate, whether you are an expert ornithologist or not, it's a very simple protocol to apply and all the resources are available on the internet.
Take out the binoculars!
If you don't have a garden, you can mark off an area in a park. A few rules to follow, however: you must choose a small area, count for exactly one hour, only note the birds that land and avoid duplicates by counting only the maximum number of a species that lands at the same time.
-A word of advice: take out the binoculars to clearly recognize each species. “Every year, we are informed of swallows, but we know that these are mistakes because the swallows do not come in winter,” laughs Rishane Colas. On the other hand, this weekend, you should come across many sparrows and tits. And as a preview, the data indicates that Grosbeaks will be 15% more present this winter due to a good breeding season.
To participate, it's simple: simply go to the website, record your garden or counting location and then note your observations.
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