Introduction to NestWatch


First, let’s begin by defining citizen science. According to the National Geographic Society, citizen science is “the practice of public participation and collaboration in scientific research to increase scientific knowledge" (Ullrich, 2012). Many scientific projects depend on large quantities of data which would be far too challenging, costly, and time-consuming for one individual or small scientific team to collect. By involving the public, scientists can outsource this data collection. In addition, by involving the public in scientific research, citizen science projects have the ability to galvanize both individual and community support for conservation.

For my graduate course in conservation ecology, we have been asked to participate in a citizen science project of our choosing. I am a bird watcher and avian lover, so I chose NestWatch (nestwatch.org). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I am spending several weeks at a time at home with my family in New York. Our backyard is bustling with birdlife, and shortly before this activity was assigned, we discovered a house finch nest in one of the planters hanging from our balcony. Already planning to keep an eye on this little nest, this project will allow me to make use of these observations. 

A pair of house finches decided to nest in a hanging planter of New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri).

Run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, NestWatch is a nationwide nest-monitoring program designed to track status and trends in the reproductive biology of North American bird species (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2019). The project is funded by the National Science Foundation and was developed in collaboration with the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. Information collected by citizen scientists is submitted online and amassed into a database. Observations are gathered across multiple landscapes, including privately held lands, which are often difficult to sample otherwise (Phillips & Dickinson, 2008, p. 633). Scientists analyze the collected data with the goal of understanding the current status of breeding bird populations and how they may be changing over time as a result of climate change, habitat loss and degradation, the introduction of invasive species, and the expansion of urban areas (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2019). As more data is collected each year, researchers are better able to predict how these occurrences will affect bird populations in the future. The large scale of the study is imperative because these occurrences can vary based on geographic location, habitat, and weather conditions. Currently, the database includes over 650,000 nest records. Although the NestWatch program was only officially launched in 2008, the database contains nest records dating back to 1965 from its historic Cornell Nest Record Card program. 

As a NestWatch participant, I will be checking on the house finch nest every 3-4 days and recording several observations on a Nest Check Data Sheet. First, I need to record the location of the nest, the nest substrate (i.e. a tree cavity, nest box, bush, tree branch, etc), the type of surrounding habitat, and the height of the nest. Each day I will note how many eggs are in the nest, the state of the nest, how many live/dead young are present, and the status of both the adult birds and hatchlings. Finally, I will record the presence of any cowbird adults or eggs, as well as what, if any, management activities were needed. Management activities can include removing a competitor species' eggs or chicks from the nest, removing unhatched eggs, or removing pests such as ants, mice, or wasps from the nest. Cowbirds are "brood parasites" - they do not build nests or incubate their own eggs. Instead, females lay eggs in other birds' nests and these birds are then tricked into rearing the young as their own. Cowbirds are not an invasive species and do not need to be managed. However, data about their nesting activities is important to collect. The Nest Check Data Sheet can be filled out as a hard copy, online, or through the NestWatch App. I will be recording my observations both in hard copy form, as well as through the website (where all the data ultimately needs to be submitted). 

The mission of the Cornell Lab is to “interpret and conserve the earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds” (Cornell University, 2020). In addition to NestWatch, the lab runs several other citizen science projects including eBird, Project FeederWatch, Celebrate Urban Birds, and Great Backyard Bird Count. eBird allows anyone from around the world to record their bird observations, sound recordings, and photos, and make them available to educators, scientists, and other birders through the eBird app and website. These observations help scientists understand the movements and needs of birds at global scales. Project FeederWatch is conducted during the winter months, and asks citizens to survey the birds that visit the feeders and birdbaths in their backyards. These observations allow scientists to track long-term bird distribution and abundance. Celebrate Urban Birds focuses on better understanding the value of urban green spaces for birds and works to reach diverse urban audiences. The Great Backyard Bird Count takes place over the course of four days every February. Participants are asked to count birds for a minimum of 15 minutes on one or more of the four days of the Count and then report their sightings online at birdcount.org. The goal is to observe changes in bird populations and patterns. So whatever your birding style, the Cornell Lab has a citizen science project for you!


Sources:

Cornell University. (2020). About The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved July 25, 2020, from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/about/

Phillips, T., & Dickinson, J. (2008). TRACKING THE NESTING SUCCESS OF NORTH AMERICA’S BREEDING BIRDS THROUGH PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN NESTWATCH, 633–640. Presented at the Fourth International Partners in Flight Conference, Ithaca, New York: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (2019). Nest Monitoring Manual. Retrieved July 25, 2020, from https://nestwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/NestWatch_manual_20191106.pdf 

Ullrich, C. (2012, May 16). Citizen science. Retrieved July 25, 2020, from https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/citizen-science/ 

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