Long-eared Owl ©2004 Al MacKeigan

Bird Study Group - Other Links of Interest to Birders

Nature Calgary & Inglewood 24hr Rare Bird Alert

Phone (403) 221-4519 -- Updated Monday & Thursday. Also reported on AlbertaBird.

List of Uncommon Birds to Report on AlbertaBird
Some species are unusual enough in the Calgary area that their sightings should be reported to the birding community. The easiest way to do this is to join the AlbertaBird discussion list and send the list a message with the information of what you saw, when, and where. Sufficient detail about the location should be given so that a person unfamiliar with the area should be able to find the spot, if not the bird!

American Birding Association Principles of Birding Ethics
Everyone who enjoys birds and birding must always respect wildlife, its environment, and the rights of others. In any conflict of interest between birds and birders, the welfare of the birds and their environment comes first.

World of Bluebirds
Learn about bluebirds, the nesting box program, and its sucesses in Alberta with the Calgary Bluebird Trail Society. The web describes monitoring procedures in detail.

Calgary Bird Species Count Competition
by Phillip J. Cram   (First published in PICA, Vol 21, no. 1.)
The Year 2000 Calgary Bird Species Count Competition was, for many Calgary birders, their major activity last year. Conceived and organized by Gus Yaki, the concept was a simple one - how many bird species could an individual see within the city limits during the calendar year, and how many species would be seen by the group as a whole. Read the entire article.

Calgary Area Outdoor Council (CAOC)
The Calgary Area Outdoor Council is a non-profit organization which represents member groups and individuals involved in outdoor recreation and environmental activities. The organization provides a broad range of communications, information, referral, networking, consultation and event planning services for its members in particular and the outdoor community in general.

Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area
The Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area is a 4800 acre day use natural area located just south west of the city of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. The conservation area is dedicated to protecting habitat and providing space for native species of wildlife; offering conservation education programs (particularily to young people) without jeopardizing wildlife and habitat; and managing human use of the Area.

National Audubon Society
Audubon's mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity. It's national network of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engage millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in positive conservation experiences.

Alberta Wildlife Status Reports
Considered an authoritative summary for species at risk in Alberta, including birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, invertebrates and plants. They provide detailed and up-to-date information that is useful to resource professionals for managing populations of species and their habitats in Alberta, as well as conservationists and landowners. These reports are also the primary source of current species at risk information for the Scientific Subcommittee (of Alberta's Endangered Species Conservation Committee; ESCC), an independent body of scientists that completes a formal status assessment and then provides the ESCC with the formal status evaluation and conservation recommendations.  The ESCC then decides what recommendations to make to the Minister of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (ASRD) concerning the legal designation (e.g., Endangered or Threatened under Alberta’s Wildlife Act). These reports are a valuable resource to have access to. Current reports on birds include: Piping Plover, Ferruginous Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Northern Pygmy Owl, Trumpeter Swan, Sprague's Pipit, Burrowing Owl, Sage Grouse, Long-billed Curlew, Black-Throated Green Warbler, Loggerhead Shrike, Willow Flycatcher, Cape May Warbler, Harlequin Duck, Short-eared Owl, Whooping Crane, Bay-breasted Warbler, Prairie Falcon, White-winged Scoter, Brown Creeper, Mountain Plover, Sage Thrasher, Barred Owl, Western Grebe.