Be a winter bird survey researcher

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's Wildlife Diversity Program will be holding its annual winter bird survey in January. Amateur and experienced bird watchers are asked to help with

Tuesday, January 2nd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's Wildlife Diversity Program will be holding its annual winter bird survey in January. Amateur and experienced bird watchers are asked to help with this important survey.

"This survey has been conducted since 1987," said Julian Hilliard, information specialist with the Department's Natural Resources Section. "It contributes to the Department's expanding database of winter bird information including bird preferences for different types of habitats, seeds, and feeders. Not only is this on-going project beneficial to us, but it allows bird-watchers to use the skills they've learned to help take part in some exciting biological research."

To participate in the simple survey, pick two consecutive days within the four-day period of January 11-14, 2001, and as accurately as is reasonable, count the birds that visit your feeders. Record the greatest number of birds seen together at any one time. While several groups of the same species of bird may appear numerous times over the two days, record only the greatest number seen together concurrently.

Record observations on the official Winter Bird Feeder Survey form. Mail the completed survey to the address on the bottom of the form. All forms must be mailed in no later than Feb. 9, 2001, to be counted. Instant electronic submissions are also possible under the Watchable Wildlife Opportunities link on the Department's website:
www.wildlifedepartment.com.

"The survey is easy but it is vital that it is done correctly or we can not use the data," Hilliard added. "Please, do not record any bird species you aren't sure you can correctly identify. Estimates don't help us either, so please do not record a lot or a few, but instead try to make an accurate count of the number of birds."

The survey results will be printed in Outdoor Oklahoma and in the Wildlife Diversity Program's newsletter, Watchable Wildlife News. Results will also be posted on the Department's website. The information will include the species and numbers of each species observed, the areas of the state they were observed in and the most effective method for attracting those species.

More information regarding the Winter Bird Survey or the Wildlife Diversity Program is available by calling the Natural Resources Section of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation at (405) 521-4616, or via email at nr@odwc.state.ok.us.