REVISED and UPDATED on December 31st, 2007.

Recommended Birding Links!

ATTENTION educators and serious birders! Check out the NEW links under the Bird Conservation and Bird-related Education sections.

A captive pair of gray phase Eastern Screech Owls in WV, photographed by Joey Herron.

Canadian Birding Websites(mostly Ontario focus)

ONTBIRDS: The most "up-to-date" summary of rare and unusual bird sightings/reports for the southern and central Ontario regions(through Siler's NEW webpage).

Birding in Canada: Gord Gallant's website with a national birding focus, it has a birdchat bulletin board and links to birding information in all the provinces and territories.

The Ontario Birding Homepage: Gord Gallant's "hub" website for birding information in Ontario!

Birds of Quebec: Denis LePage's guide to birding in La Belle province with an impressive collection of birdlinks to the world.

Birding in British Columbia: The best source of birding information in the province has RBA numbers and reports, birding festival directory, BC bird species list, and articles and reviews.

Bird Studies Canada: Bird research and studies in Canada and at the Long Point Bird Observatory.

Hamilton Naturalist's Club Homepage: Weekly updated (usually on Thursdays) rare bird alert reports for southern Ontario.

Kitchener-Waterloo Field Naturalists: Neil Taylor's website for local birding information and regular updates on environmental issues.

Toronto Zoology Birding Board: Regularly updated postings of interesting birds in and around the Toronto area.

Royal Ontario Museum: Explore Ontario's Biodiversity, create your own fieldguide online, and learn about species-at-risk in this province.

Birds Ontario: This website will serve as a growing database for several research projects including the Breeding Bird Atlas, the Nest Records Scheme, Important Bird Areas Program, Project Feederwatch, and Christmas Bird Counts.

Finding Places to Bird - Location Directories

The Top 50 Birding Spots in North America: Paul Konrad's article published in September 1996 Wildbird .

Where do you want to go birding today?: Tina MacDonald's online guide to birding locations all over the world.

Great Outdoors Recreation Pages(GORP): Regional guide to birding locations in the Americas also has trips, tours, articles and bird species information.

Birding.com: Top 200 North American Birding Hotspots has very good coverage of the top birding spots in the U.S. and Canada(some have hyperlinks).

Birder.com: Has guides to the top hotspots in North Am. & the World, RBA phone numbers, weather info access, and survey results as well.

USFWS Refuge System: A regional guide to the National Wildlife Refuges in the U.S., most are excellent birding spots and birding info(sites and lists) can also be accessed.

Birding America: Mary Scott's personal tour of birding spots in the Americas with info on wildlife refuges, sanctuaries, and little-known habitats.

The Geographical Birding Guide: An area sensitive map for quick access birding information in all the states.

The Virtual Birder: A cyber-zine that offers "virtual" birding trips to different birding hotspots of North America.

WorldTwitch: Site map for website that focuses on finding rare birds around the world, it has bird reports for distant locales and advice for travellers.

Bird Conservation Resources

EPA and Bird Conservation: A "position paper" outlining the basics of bird conservation in the U.S.(it is a MUST read!).

The American Bird Conservancy: Political action and educational campaigns(Cats indoors, etc.) to help protect birds and their habitat.

America's Wildlife at the Crossroads: A Special Report by Deborah Richie for the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Cornell Lab Of Ornithology's Birdsource: Birding with a purpose-a variety of citizen science projects for amateur ornithologists.

The Importance of Migratory Stopovers: A short article on the Chipper Woods Bird Observatory webpage that uses the Delaware Bay area as an example to illustrate the importance of protecting stopover areas.

National Audubon Society: Bird Conservation Initiatives-projects, species profiles and related links.

Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center: Research on neotropical migrants, conservation workshops, and Bridging the Americas program.

Wings of the Americas: The Nature Conservancy's bird conservation program that uses the best available science to protect the habitats necessary to the long-term survival of both migratory and resident bird species.

Migratory Bird Conservancy: Coalition of "birding businesses" organized to protect migratory birds and their habitat.

Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP): Michael Mesure's ongoing efforts to protect migratory bird species(volunteers needed).

The North American Bird Conservation Initiative: An overview of Bird Studies Canada's role in this international project, includes key action items and guiding principles.

Important Bird Areas of Canada: Provides information about ongoing work, recent designations, site listings, community action funding, partners and supporters, and news releases.

The Canadian Wildlife Service Homepage: Find out about bird conservation and research programs in Canada.

The Songbird Foundation: Bird-friendly(shade-grown) coffee campaign to preserve wintering migratory bird habitat.

Partners In Flight: Information about Bird Conservation Plans, International Migratory Bird Day, and Bird Education Resources.

Teaming With Wildlife: A coalition of organizations formed to ensure adequate funding to protect wildlife and provide educational support and resources for people of all ages.

Canadian Nature Federation: Conservation programs include Important Bird Areas(IBAs), Endangered Species, and Community Education resource materials.

Natural Legacy 2000: Includes recovery plans, protected area networks, educational outreach, and advanced research to save Canada's natural heritage.

Federation of Ontario Naturalists: The primary organization in the province to find out about conservation issues and learn what you can do to help.

World Wildlife Fund Canada: Conservation organization has a Wildlife Rescue Team, Rainforest Protection Campaign, Advocates-Online Program, Ecological Footprint Exercise and many other related projects to support.

Ducks Unlimited: Wetland habitat protection, scientific research projects, migration monitoring, and Youth Education program(Greenwing).

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Has partnership with Wild Birds Unlimited to establish the Pathways to Nature Conservation Fund and provides matching funding for other bird conservation work.

Birdcast: Collaborative effort designed to enable anyone to track migrating birds as they move through the region and also has info on pesticide use/misuse and bird collisions with towers.

ROM's Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology: Scientist's plans to better manage our natural resources and to reduce extinction rates.

Patuxent Wildlife Research Center: Information on ongoing bird population research projects and skill testing educational tools(bird quiz, ID tips, lists, etc.).

Towerkill.com: Important information about how, when, and why as well as workshop proceedings, research, legislation, bulletin board, and bibliography.

Canada's Peregrine Falcon Watch: Monitor(by nest-cam) and support efforts by the C.P.F. to re-establish Peregrines across Canada.

Conservation International: Information on the International Biodiversity Hotspots conservation strategy and related resource material.

Introduction to the Aves(UCB): An academic website with information about the evolution, systematics and flight of birds.

Bird-related Educational Resources

Migratory Max: The Wilderness Society's interactive lesson about Max the migrating Golden Plover with maps, fact sheets, and political action features.

The Baillie Birdathon(BSC): Fundraise and educate people about the plight of many migratory species(excellent for schools!).

Project and/or Classroom Feederwatch: National birdfeeder monitoring project also sponsored by the Cornell Lab(worth mentioning again!).

Journey North: An online science project for the study of migratory wildlife(excellent for schools!).

USFWS Shorebird Sister Schools Program: Learn about shorebirds and monitor their migration using maps and data from the field.

SEEDS Foundation: Sponsors a Canada-wide Bird Identification and Tally Challenge each year as an online project for elementary school classrooms.

Wild Wings Heading South: PBS website with classroom activities such as the Migration Game, The Web of Life, and the Energy Costs of Migration.

Access Excellence Activities Exchange: Senior biology lesson plan for evolutionary ecology activity on the Beaks of the Finches(Darwin's).

BIRDQUEST Kit: Developed by the Canadian Nature Federation and Canadian Willife Service has an instructional video, workbook, badges and certificates.

Virtual Birding Educational Materials: Includes bird related lessons and links to supplementary materials for elementary children by the Illinois DNR.

The Evergreen Foundation: Schoolyard naturalization, habitat restoration projects and funding information(excellent for schools!).

World Wildlife Fund's Schools for Wildlife Program: Includes working on Endangered Species and Spaces, Wildlife Toxicology, and the International Programs.

Watchlist 4Kids: Part of the Audubon Adventures educational program that provides information about bird species at risk, a virtual gallery, and has a feature to make Watchlist Trading Cards.

The American Birding Association's Education Program: Activities, objectives, and resources to help birders become better stewards.

A Guide to Bird Education Resources: Migratory Birds of the Americas-An Annotated Bibliography(by Partners in Flight).

Green Teacher Magazine: Articles, activities, and ideas to enhance environmental and global education across the curriculum at all grade levels.

Canadian Wildlife Federation's WILD Education Program: Habitat 2000, Project WILD, Backyard Habitat Guidebook, Wildlife Surveys, and more.

Greenwing: Ducks Unlimited's Youth Education Program has wetland education teacher resources, adopt-a-class program, summer camp info, and contacts for assistance.

Environment Canada: Information collections, fact sheets, and reports on environmental conservation issues and topics.

Birdnet: All about Ornithology, an information source for the scientific study of birds.

General Information Birding Websites

Birding at About.com: Maintained by Christine Tarski has a comprehensive directory of bird-related information(with e-card service as well).

Birding on the Net: Jack Siler's NEW site has good birding articles, archives of all the North American bird e-mail lists, RBAs, and bird chat lines.

Electronic Resources on Ornithology: Chris Majka's inventory of ornithological websites, original articles and a link to Lepidopteran resouces as well.

Ornithology.com: A website for all birders from beginner to budding ornithologist with a special focus on science, research, education and conservation.

The Fat Birder Website: Comprehensive website based in the UK has forums, classifieds, UK birding info, world links, and a good sense of humor(or is that humour?).

American Birding Association: The ABA is a birding organization for very serious birders with a fair amount of coin.

Peterson Online: Offers a complete directory of birding info for birders of all ages with skillbuilders and tutorials as well.

Birdwatching Dot Com: Website has birding FAQ, tips, gifts, stories, videos, software, optics, and books(from online store).

eNature: Complete nature and wildlife resource has Audubon Guides, an "online" life-list feature, and a variety of nature e-cards.

Nothern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: An awesome collection of biological resources and bird info with special attention to grassland bird species.

Barbo's Birdlinks: Barb is regional reporter for the Mohawk-Hudson Bird Club and has an amazing collection of birding links on her website!

Birdzilla.com: Multipurpose website has online shopping, info on bird feeding and watching, an online lifelist feature, and a bird FAQ.

Wild Birds Unlimited: Commercial webpage has BirdfeederCam, Internet Store, Stokes Bird Articles, Educational Resources, and conservation funding information.

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