For example, very little is known about bird ecology in urban
areas, Mulvihill says. The Neighborhood Nestwatch program tries
to provide answers by collecting data on the population of eight bird
species within a 50-mile radius of Point State Park. Mulvihill and
his assistants visit the homes of families that have volunteered to
participate in the program. The ornithologists spend several hours
at each home and set up a large net made from fine nylon threads.
Mulvihill uses an amplifier to broadcast a call for each specific species
of bird. If any are in the area, they fly toward the sound to investigate,
and get caught in the large net. Mulvihill and his assistants take the
birds out of the net and examine them. He records each bird’s weight,
age, sex, wing length and tail length. Last year Mulvihill collected data
on 1,200 birds and estimates that number will increase to 1,500 this
year.
Collecting this information is an excellent way to get children
involved, he says, allowing them to help take measurements and
record data. Then Mulvihill shows the family how to hold the bird
without injuring it and lets them release it.
“It’s an exercise in connecting people with birds,” he explains.
“They absorb the experience and become more engaged in their own
backyards. I know it has a multiplicative effect and that people talk
about it with their neighbors, but it’s hard to keep track of the ripple
effect this project has.”
One of the most memorable experiences Mulvihill has had was
when he captured a hummingbird and let the host family listen to the
bird’s heartbeat, which is 1,000 times per minute. The children and
adults were shocked.
“You could hear it in their voices and see it in their eyes,” he recalls.
“There are not too many ways you can get that kind of reaction from
people. People who participate become advocates. It inspires them to
take a stand and make personal changes in their lives.”
Since he often revisits the same homes every year, Mulvihill sees
how children’s interest in birds and the environment develop over
time. Often, young children will show him different projects or
presentations they completed at school since the last time he visited.
The Neighborhood Nestwatch has encouraged children to study
math and science and participate in other environmental events. One
of Mulvihill’s assistants has gone on to study wildlife ecology at the
University of Delaware.
After each bird’s’ measurements are recorded, Mulvihill and his
assistants attach colored plastic bands to its legs to identify it. Each
household keeps a record each time they spot the bird in their yard.
The volunteers are also asked to monitor any bird nests they find
in their yards and Mulvihill provides instructions on how to do so
without disturbing the nest. This will provide information on bird
population survival and nesting rates, which can serve as an early
warning indicator for environmental problems.
“Birds make excellent bioindicators because they have a high
metabolic rate, a unique respiratory system, and they are found all
over the world,” Mulvihill says. “Birds are more sensitive and will
show signs of environmental contamination or degradation that we
might not feel as humans. Birds are sentinels for the quality of the
environment.”
This year, Mulvihill is also asking volunteers to record the number
of times birds collide with glass windows in their homes. These
collisions can kill or injure birds and Mulvihill wants to find ways
to reduce this threat. He’ll ask families to install special tape on
any windows with which birds collide frequently. The tape reflects
ultraviolet light, which birds can see, and will hopefully discourage
them from trying to fly through the window. The tape doesn’t
block the view from the window or obstruct the light. Mulvihill
also suggests that families keep pet cats inside since they are natural
predators. Replacing non-native plants or trees with native species
will also create a better environment for birds, he says. That’s because
native plants attract more insects, and birds will have more food.
“The program shows people how even their own personal backyard
can impact birds and nature either positively or negatively,” Mulvihill
says.
About 160 households participated in the Neighborhood
Nestwatch program this year, and Mulvihill says there is a waiting list
for new volunteers. He would like to add more homes to the program
but has to secure more funding before he can do that.
“I’d love to say yes to everybody who wants to participate but we
have to be strategic,” he explains.
Mulvihill is completing an analysis of the data he recorded in
this year’s survey and says the results since 2013 show that the bird
population in Pittsburgh is generally pretty healthy.
“I think Pittsburgh qualifies as a pretty bird-friendly city on several
standpoints,” he says. “We’ve got a nice infrastructure of green spaces
and parks. We have a population of people who seem to have a high
degree of interest in birds.”
Mulvihill thinks Pittsburgh could even become a destination for
bird lovers. In fact, the city recently received federal grant money to
fund several bird conservation projects.
“I think Pittsburgh is emerging as a very bird-aware city,” Mulvihill
says. “I think we will start seeing more birding trails. I think birds will
always be the primary way people connect with nature.” ■
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