Listening to the Birds
New Study Aims to Connect Residents With Nature Through Birdsong
By Bird Friendly Lions Bay
Would the beach still be a beach without the wild cry of gulls? Would Spring still be Spring without the dawn chorus? Human connection to nature through birdsong goes back millions of years.
With this in mind, Bird Friendly Lions Bay is launching From Sea to Mountain, an acoustic monitoring project to take a closer look at – or rather, listen to - Lions Bay birds.
Grant funding was obtained from Nature Canada through Nature Lions Bay, and the project will support Nature Lions Bay’s Terrestrial Wildlife Monitoring Cam Trap (camera trap) Project which began in April.
“This is the first project of its kind in Lions Bay and as such it presents a very exciting and foundational opportunity,” said Danielle Wills, who is overseeing both projects and the enthusiastic team of Capilano University student volunteers working with her. Adding acoustic monitors to the Cam Trap project was in fact suggested by the students. “We’re so grateful to Nature Canada for making this possible. Our Village has a remarkable diversity of habitats and, as a designated Bird Friendly City, this gives us an opportunity to strengthen local bird conservation efforts by developing a long-term, community-based understanding of how birds use these different habitats.”
A key goal will be to showcase the sound ecologies in and around Lions Bay to nurture strong connections with birds. Project soundscapes and results will be shared through community presentations, communications and educational activities, with the goal of increasing awareness of local bird habitat and the importance of protecting and enhancing it.
The bird monitoring stations will be set up in three locations representing coastal habitat, low-elevation residential habitat and higher-elevation forest habitat. The project will continue for at least a year, allowing Bird Friendly Lions Bay to document bird species, seasonal activity, migration timing, and differences in bird communities in diverse habitats.
Results will provide a baseline dataset of Lions Bay's bird populations, not only by producing a species list but also by investigating questions such as whether bird communities differ between coastal, residential, and mountain habitats; whether forest species are more frequently detected at higher elevations; how the timing of bird activity changes between habitats; and when migratory birds arrive and depart.
The data will provide a scientific starting point for future monitoring and conservation while also creating opportunities for residents to engage directly with our birds.
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