The Belize Audubon Society has resumed its Annual Urban Bird Watch initiative. It's a program they started several years ago to encourage Belizeans in all corners of the country to study local and migratory birds.
It's part of their public awareness to encourage bird conservation and a general appreciation of nature. But, due to the COVID pandemic, it was suspended for two years. Now, the Urban Bird Watch is back, and we got an opportunity to speak with one of the BAS experts about it today.
Here's why he is hoping that Belizeans, young and old, will embrace the initiative - especially as it comes to the bigger population center - Belize City - this weekend:
Miguel Sho - Environmental Education Officer, BAS
"So, Urban Birdwatch is to bring people together in Belize so that they can get involved in citizen science. The Urban Birdwatch is also to bring awareness to birds that migrate because every year, there's migration. There's the migration happening from birds moving from North America down to South America or Central America, and bringing awareness to these birds that do this annual trip. You know. People can fall in love with the birds so that they can then they will have the initiative to promote Bird conservation in Belize. The event itself anybody is welcome to do to participate in the Urban Birdwatch. If you are an expert birder or a beginner, you are welcome to come because during the event, there will be expert birders, and there will be personnel from the Belize Audubon Society. They will teach you. They're happy to teach you how to go about identifying these birds and to know which one of these birds are your backyard friends. Belizeans should be involved, or Belizeans should get involved and participate in the Urban Birdwatch so that they can find that passion for promoting bird conservation in Belize. Birds are very important to the ecosystem, and we might not see them right now. But in the longer run, if there's nothing done to help these birds, then we might have a drastic effect later on in the years coming. So, Belizeans are welcome to join Urban Bird Watch and, you know, promote bird conservation itself."
An Urban Bird Watch session already occurred in Orange Walk last Saturday. Coming up next is Belize City and Belmopan on October 16th and Independence Village on October 22nd.
