BACKYARD BIRD COUNT POSTED ON WEB.Byline: Michael Coit Staff Writer Vick Hostetter expects dozens of finches and doves, sparrows and warblers to swoop into his Fillmore back yard today to feast on a mixture of sunflower seeds, millet millet, common name for several species of grasses cultivated mainly for cereals in the Eastern Hemisphere and for forage and hay in North America. The principal varieties are the foxtail, pearl, and barnyard millets and the proso millet, called also broomcorn millet and other goodies. During mealtime, Hostetter will count the highest number of individual birds from each species. Then he will report the results on the Internet, contributing to the growing tally of the Great Backyard Bird Count. ``It gives a census of what birds are showing up. With the number of birds here, they can devour it in two hours,'' he said, alluding to the food. ``The only thing that will keep them away is the sharpshin hawk.'' The four-day bird count, which ends Monday, will help determine how natural predators, weather patterns, habitat loss and disease affect bird populations. ``This is a very important, nationwide citizen science event,'' said Susan Churchfield, spokeswoman for the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a laboratory dedicated to research in the field of ornithology at Cornell University. The lab is focused on the understanding and conservation of birds, but also does research, more generally, on biological diversity; specific programs include , which sponsors the project with the National Audubon Society The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservancy. Incorporated in 1905, it is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world. . During the count, bird enthusiasts across the nation will step into their back yards or walk to nearby parks and natural areas to spend at least 30 minutes observing birds. They will report the highest count for each species on each day for different parts of the country. The tally is featured on the Web site, www.birdsource.org. Hostetter is acting president of the Conejo Valley Chapter of the National Audubon Society and he said 30 to 40 members are expected to participate in the backyard bird count. Like the more famous Christmas bird count The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a census of birds in the Western Hemisphere, performed annually in the early Northern-hemisphere winter by volunteer birders. The purpose is to provide population data for use in science, especially conservation biology, though many people organized by the Audubon Society, the backyard bird count is a snapshot of where the birds are - and are not - in comparison to past years. In Southern California, a second consecutive dry winter could affect some bird species in the region. ``You don't have the grasses for the rodents that sustain the raptor raptor In general, any bird of prey, including owls. The raptors are sometimes restricted to eagles, falcons, hawks, and vultures (birds of the order Falconiformes), all diurnal predators that “seize and carry off” (Latin raptare) their prey. populations,'' Hostetter said. ``You may see that there's fewer gophers or voles and there's fewer raptors and owls.'' The reports will help ornithologists This is a list of ornithologists who have articles, in alphabetical order by surname. See also . A-D
House finches are another species under close scrutiny. An eye infection deforms their beaks, affecting their ability to eat. Both house and gold finches are frequent visitors to Hostetter's feeder. |
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