Backyard Birds: Beyond the Basics

 The number of folks deriving pleasure from the birds in their yards is increasing exponentially and they want to know more about these incredible creatures.   For example, where do birds sleep at night?  How do they deal with extreme cold?  However, it is also fair to say that not all interactions with birds are positive.  How does one stop birds from hitting windows or woodpeckers from damaging one’s home?   And while there does exist a large number of informational books and web sites focused on how to attract birds to the backyard, this fun hobby sometimes creates new questions.  Should one provide bath water in the winter?   What does one do when finding a baby bird?  How does one deal with hawks?   Should one offer peanut butter and what things can one add to suet. With at least three decades of experience in teaching ornithology, feeding birds and writing about backyard bird biology and challenges, enjoy a visual presentation by Dr. David M. Bird as he attempts to provide answers to these questions and many more.   Not everything is black and white.  Come and join in to hear his newest presentation!

As an Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Biology at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Dr. Bird has published close to 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers and supervised 50 graduate students on a wide range of wildlife themes, mostly on birds of prey and in more recent years, the application of UAVs (drones) to wildlife research and conservation. Until his retirement to Vancouver Island in 2013, he taught several university-level courses, including ornithology, wildlife conservation, animal behaviour, and scientific/public communication.  He has written and/or edited more than ten books, the most recent ones being various editions of Birds of Canada, Birds of Eastern Canada and Birds of Western Canada, Pocket Birds of Canada. He has been the recipient of several awards and honours over the years, but perhaps the most special is the Doris Spiers Award given to him by the SCO in 2013 for his outstanding lifetime contributions to Canadian ornithology.

This presentation will be aired via Zoom Video Conferencing. On the Monday preceding the event, Nature Vancouver members will receive the Zoom link in the weekly e-News. To join the talk on Thursday, click on that link after 7:15 pm. The talk will begin at 7:30 pm. Non-members are welcome and should Email denis@naturevancouver.ca well in advance to register for the link.