Climate Watch
Audubon’s Climate Watch is a new community science program that explores how North American birds are responding to climate change. In 2014, Audubon released the Audubon Birds and Climate Change Report highlighting the risks that climate change poses to birds across North America. In response, thousands of people asked how they could help make the world a better place for birds. Now, you can help by observing birds in your area, using a specific protocol, to help us learn about how birds are responding to the changing climate.
Background
National Audubon has created a model to predict the effects of climate change on bird species. What the model shows is that some species are expected to decline, some to increase, and some not to change significantly within different areas. To test the model, and gather even more data for it, they are asking that twice-yearly surveys be performed on certain species. In our area, the Red-breasted Nuthatch is the target species.
How It Works
North America has been divided into 10 km x 10 km squares. Each Audubon chapter has been asked to participate by surveying squares. The chapter responsibility is to identify 12 locations within each square from which the surveys will be conducted (indefinitely). These 12 locations are chosen with Red-breasted Nuthatch habitat as the prime consideration. Teams of volunteers will then survey these 12 locations twice a year during a 1-month window: winter (January 15 - February 15) and summer (May 15 - June 15).
Survey Protocol
The surveys are very simple and excellent for first-time community science surveyors. From each of the 12 locations in a square, a team of surveyors passively observes for 5 minutes and record any detections of Red-breasted Nuthatch, visual or auditory. If you’re able, you can record all other species you detect, as well, but it is not mandatory.
All the locations within a square are to be surveyed on the same day within the window (season). Different squares can be surveyed on different days. All reported sightings are then shared with the NAS Climate Watch team. Currently, this involves using eBird as part of the process.
Teams consist of one to three people; however, more than one team can work in a single square (as long as they all survey on the same day).