Organizers of a comprehensive survey of birds that nest in Wisconsin have identified more than 300 locations where volunteers are needed to help gather information for the survey, many of them north of Highway 29.
Known as the Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas, the goal of the Atlas is to help document where and how many breeding birds there are across the state. This information helps scientists, land managers, and birders get a better understanding of the population size, preferred habitat, and range of each species. It also shows changes since the last Atlas survey 20 years ago. DNR conservation biologist and science lead for the survey is Ryan Brady.
He says the project is a five-year effort...
"....we have a few distinct areas that we want people to focus on. These are three-by-three mile blocks of land that folks should go into during the breeding season which is usually June and July and they should attempt to document the birds they see and here and then go one step further and look for evidence of breeding...."
Brady says citizen monitors are key to provide enough data for scientists. He says the comparisons from this survey to one 20 years ago can show if bird populations are shifting. More than 1,300 survey blocks are in need of volunteers...
"....we've already enlisted more than 1,500 volunteers statewide, but frankly we're going to need more. We have two years left in the project and we're going to have to fill in probably around 300 more blocks.We have quite a need for more volunteers, especially across the northern third of the state...."
Brady says the best website to visit for more information is at a DNR partner, the Wisconsin Society of Ornithology wsobirds.org/atlas
