Audubon New York environmentalists met with St. Joseph’s College students last month to have a conversation about spring migration trends and how they affect conservation efforts.
“Understanding migration informs our conservation actions,” said Richard Santangelo, program director of For the Birds! New York City, who serves as Field Trip Chair for his local Audubon chapter. “We’re talking about resources being very important to why birds are migrating … And the more we know, the more we can do to protect these magnificent creatures.”
Santangelo and Eric Lind, director of community science and restoration in Audubon New York’s Albany office, led the Feb. 26 conversation. The Go-Green and Science clubs from both SJC campuses co-hosted the educational event.
In addition to conservation efforts, the environmentalists shared some tips about bird watching — including how to view migration and identify birds — and fielded questions about climate change’s impact on migration.
The environmentalists also shared ways citizens — sometimes referred to as “community scientists” — can help conservation efforts in their own communities:
- Make your home bird safe by adding bird tape to the windows.
- Submit your bird watching observations to eBird, an online database of bird observations used by many conservation organizations.
- Volunteer with your local Audubon chapter.
- Choose plants for your yard based on the birds you want to attract. (See Audubon’s database for help.)
- Join an existing Audubon campaign or sign up for its Action Network and get alerted for upcoming events about preserving bird habitats.
- Reach out to local politicians or decision makers about preserving habitats and making buildings bird safe.
