This is a Sacramento Valley Conservancy event.

CHANGES IN LOCAL BIRD POPULATIONS OVER 25 YEARS (AND IT’S NOT ALL DEPRESSING)

Guest Speaker: Chris Conard

If you’ve been birding for two decades or more, many things you took for granted about where and when certain birds were found have changed–some subtly and some quite profound. Chris began seriously birding and learning about local bird populations 25 years ago. That is a relatively short time, but long enough to notice significant changes, both in bird distribution and the habitat they depend on. There are as many stories of surprising resilience as there are of depressing loss. Working with Ed Pandolfino, Lily Douglas, and Tim Manolis on Sacramento County Breeding Birds: A Tale of Two Atlases and Three Decades of Change, brought much of this into focus. Since the book’s publication in 2021, Chris has been thinking about changes he’s observed throughout the seasons. Why are geese so much more numerous, Swainson’s Hawks holding their own, Say’s Phoebes and Western Bluebirds breeding where they hadn’t before? At the same time, Burrowing Owls and Loggerhead Shrikes are much harder to find. These changes are driven by human impacts, and some are not fully understood. There have been impressive restoration efforts, habitat loss, changes in winter temperatures, fog, and agricultural practices. Bird populations reflect these changes.

TO ATTEND

Please RSVP by 6pm the evening prior. Space is limited. Parking and admission are free, but donations are encouraged ($5-$20 per person recommended). All money collected will be split between SVC and the Central Valley Bird Club (www.cvbirds.org). Complete your liability waiver in advance for faster checkin.

Western Meadowlark, Image by Daniel Brown