LIMA, OH (WLIO) - If you have bird feeders, you could be part of a scientific project that could watch environmental trends.
"Project FeederWatch" is run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and involves thousands of bird feeders across North America. Johnny Appleseed Parks are part of the program which uses real-time science to see what different types of birds that are using the various feeders. That data can be used to track bird populations, which could lead to other scientific discoveries about diseases, the environment, and other wildlife trends. So, while you are watching the birds, you could be helping find out what is going on in your own backyard.
"Birds are a wonderful indicators of what is happening in the environment around us," says Dan Hodges, Naturalist, at Johnny Appleseed Metro Park District. "Certain birds are sensitive, certain birds are not so sensitive to human cause disturbance, natural disturbance, diseases, etc. You are able to see population trends of the birds, and a lot of times that gives you a really good picture of what is happening in the environment around the birds."
If you would like to be part of the bird-watching project, contact Dan Hodges at Johnny Appleseed Parks or log on to https://feederwatch.org/.
