From Father’s Day to Mother’s Day, nature enthusiasts can once again help to gain important insights into the local bird world. For the 20th time, the German Nature Conservation Association (Nabu) and the Bavarian Nature Conservation Association LBV are calling for the “Hour of the Garden Birds” to take part. From May 9th to 12th, people in Germany should count the birds on their doorstep for one hour.
According to Nabu, the focus is on the 15 most common species that have been observed in this country in recent years. Particular attention is paid to house and tree sparrows.
In some cities, the sparrow – i.e. the house sparrow – is now on the decline, explained LBV biologist Angelika Nelson in Hilpoltstein. The tree sparrow took its place instead. The question is whether this development will continue to be confirmed this year. It is also exciting to see which birds are already breeding and whether many migratory birds are already back that started their return journey rather late, such as orioles and martins.
Addition to the official inventory trends
According to Nabu, the findings complement the official inventory trends because they are available a short time after the survey. This makes them a kind of early warning system for new developments in the bird world, according to the project homepage. The large number of participants and samples also made it possible to draw regional conclusions, including down to the local level. According to the nature conservation associations, more than 59,000 people took part in the counting campaign last year and reported more than 1.3 million birds.
Anyone who would like to take part in the “Hour of the Garden Birds” can observe the birds in the garden, on the balcony, in front of the window or in the park for one hour during the counting period. The highest number of a species that can be seen at the same time is then reported – via the internet, app, post or telephone.
