From chirps and cheeps to Twitter and “tweets”
November bird watching can be outstanding in Nebraska, with fall migrations well underway for ducks and geese and winter birds starting to arrive. We have covered that previously, so this month I wanted to head in a different direction and get you up to speed on some of the technological changes occurring in the birding world.
Like many of you, I came to personal computers later in life. However, if you were to look at the Internet pages I have bookmarked, you would find no less than 40 websites that are related to birds. While I have embraced some of the technological changes of recent years, I am still intimidated by others that the generations behind me are taking on full-speed. Fortunately, if I have technology questions, I can go to my 14-year old son for answers — humbling though that may be.
Statistics show that Internet usage has grown from 16 millions users worldwide (0.4% of the population) in 1995 to 1.7 billion users (24.7% of the population) in 2009. In North America, 74% of our population now uses the Internet on a regular basis. This has led to changes in the birding world as well.
Historically, birders would call in “Rare Bird Alerts” (RBAs) to phone numbers, where they could either leave a recorded message or tell someone willing to relay it to others via telephone. As Internet usage grew, however, RBAs started to be posted online. In 1999, the Nebraska Ornithologist Union’s Website began posting RBAs, but this only lasted for about five years. Since that time, members post their sightings to a “list serve” and have them instantly sent to other members of the group.
There are some 12,000 birding groups on Yahoo Groups, where “bird-brains” go to share sightings and discuss birds. One of those is NEBirds which is the Nebraska bird list serve. This group now includes over 700 members and has had nearly 18,000 messages posted since it started in February of 2001.
Today, many Nebraska birders are also starting to participate in eBird. The Audubon Society and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology created eBird as a central place where birders could report “checklists” for a given date and location. It has been incredibly popular. More recent statistics are not available but in 2006, this website received information on over 4.3 million total observations of birds. Nebraska reports for 2009 to date include over 2200 checklists accounting for 300 species of birds.
Now birders are on Facebook and are even beginning to use Twitter by sending “tweets” (which just seems appropriate doesn’t it?) to post bird sightings and have discussions with other birders. With the increase of cell phones with Internet capabilities, birders can now report what they see, while they are looking at it, instead of having to rush home and post the exciting news. And if they have a “camera phone” they may even be able to provide a picture at the exact moment they see it.
There is no way to foresee what other technological changes may be ahead in the world of birding, but birders should embrace these changes and enjoy the benefits and results...even if you feel a need to drag your wing tips and talons a bit in the process.
— T.J. Walker
Wildlife Biologist
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
North Platte
About the Chicken Dance Trail
The Chicken Dance Trail is actually a collection of great bird watching locations in southwest and south central Nebraska, between the Platte and Republican Rivers. Because the area includes the narrowest section of the hourglass-shaped Central Flyway, the Chicken Dance Trail is uniquely situated for birders. Millions of different birds come through here during spring and fall migrations, making the Chicken Dance Trail one of the best places in the country to see a wide variety of species in a relatively small area.
Our bird watching sites were developed by local naturalists and birding experts and are collected into a series of bird watching “adventures” which are described in detail, along with interactive maps, on our Web site at www.chickendancetrail.com. Other resources include a birding chart, useful birding links, and guides to restaurants, lodging and activities in the area.
Our wildlife and bird watching sites were developed by local naturalists and are collected into a series of “adventures” which are described in detail, along with interactive maps, on our Web site at www.chickendancetrail.com. Other resources include a birding chart, useful links, and guides to restaurants, lodging and activities in the area.
Come and visit and learn why we say, “Birds love this part of Nebraska...and you will too!”
Special Thanks to:
Nebraska Game and Parks, Birds of Nebraska
www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/guides/birds/findbirds.asp