What is NestWatch?
NestWatch is a nationwide monitoring program from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, designed to track status and trends in the reproductive biology of birds, including when nesting occurs, number of eggs laid, how many eggs hatch, and how many hatchlings survive. This database is intended to be used to study the current condition of breeding bird populations and how they may be changing over time as a result of climate change, habitat degradation and loss, expansion of urban areas, and the introduction of non-native plants and animals.
How Do I Participate?
Participating in NestWatch is easy and just about anyone can do it, although children should always be accompanied by an adult when observing bird nests. Simply follow the directions on the NestWatch website to become a certified NestWatcher, find a bird nest using these helpful tips, visit the nest every 3-4 days and record what you see, and then report this information on the NestWatch website. You can also download the NestWatch Mobile App for iOS and Android and record what you see at the nest in real time. Find more information and tips from these FAQs.
Contribute Important Data
Your observations will be added to those of thousands of other NestWatchers in a continually growing database used by researchers to understand and study birds. Simply put, without your help it would be impossible to gather enough information to accurately monitor nesting birds across the country. And while you are contributing extremely valuable information to science, you will learn firsthand about birds and create a lifelong bond with the natural world.
For more information on how to get involved, contact Lou Ann Harris at louann@sacajaweaaudubon.org
