All eyes will be on the skies Friday, Feb. 14, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. as the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (NCAFF) hosts the Great Backyard Bird Count. NCAFF environmental educators will inspire the community to join the count and launch newly minted bird counters on an exciting journey to earn an NC Bird Count badge. Special activities throughout the day offer an exciting time for anyone and everyone to help scientists gather information on birds in the state to support their conservation. Visitors will be able to walk out the doors of the Aquarium or use binoculars at the birding window to start counting right away.
Science Across NC
There will be four days of bird counting! The North Carolina Bird Count, organized by Science Across NC, runs Feb. 14-17, and includes more than 30 organizations across the state. This is a good excuse and a unique opportunity for people to experience the natural world happening in their own neighborhood.
“Birds are important species to observe, because healthy habitats for birds are also healthy homes for many other animals. Birds are also fun to watch, because they are usually easy to find and active throughout the year,” said Sammy Calderon, NCAFF environmental educator.
Take the First Step
Anyone can participate in the count, and it takes only a few steps to get plugged into the action. The first step is to create a free eBird account through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology ebird.org or their app, available for Android and Apple. Then, it’s just a matter of visiting a favorite spot to watch birds and enter the information into the app.
“The more people who join the count, the better,” said Calderon. “We are excited about inspiring the community to participate in the count and also take conservation action like turning off lights to reduce light pollution for migrating birds, among other ways to protect them.”
How to Protect Songbirds
- Use bird-friendly window treatments
- Turn off lights at night to reduce light pollution for migrating birds.
- Purchase certified Bird Friendly© coffee to preserve neotropical bird wintering grounds.
- Keep cats indoors to prevent predation of songbirds.
- Select grass-fed beef to help save grassland birds.
- Purchase certified sustainable paper products to help preserve the nesting grounds of boreal forest songbirds. Better yet, choose reusable items.
Why it Matters
Bird count is a big help in identifying local bird populations, migration patterns and other data that supports the conservation of birds. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the first-ever comprehensive assessment of net population changes in the U.S. and Canada reveals across-the-board declines that scientists call “staggering”:
- All told, the North American bird population is down by 2.9 billion breeding adults, with devastating losses among birds in every biome.
- Forests alone have lost 1 billion birds.
- Grassland bird populations collectively have declined by 53%, or another 720 million birds.
AZA SAFE: Saving Animals from Extinction
NCAFF is accredited through the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), a non-profit organization dedicated to the highest standards in the areas of conservation, animal welfare, education, science and recreation. Another way the Aquarium team supports bird conservation is through AZA SAFE: North American Songbirds (NAS). NAS is part of the AZA SAFE: Saving Animals from Extinction program. SAFE NAS focuses on more than 300 species in the order Passeriformes that spend part of their annual cycle in North America. Songbird population declines in North America persist because of habitat loss, climate change, building collisions, and predation from outdoor domestic cats.
For more information, visit Count Birds With Us, contact Sammy Calderon or call 910-772-0500.
Online Tickets Required
While at the Aquarium, visitors will also find immersive experiences including two families of Asian small-clawed otters, a couple of alligators and a 235-000-gallon habitat with two sand tiger sharks. The Bird Count activities are included with admission. Online reservations are required to visit the Aquarium at NCAFF Tickets.
About the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is just south of Kure Beach, a short drive from Wilmington, on U.S. 421. The site is less than a mile from the Fort Fisher ferry terminal. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission: $12.95 ages 13-61; $10.95 children ages 3-12; $11.95 seniors (62 and older) and military with valid identification; EBT card holders: $3 for adults and $2 for children ages 3-12. Free admission for children 2 and younger and N.C. Aquarium Society members and N.C. Zoo members. General information: ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher