From Friday to Sunday, birds will again be counted nationwide
“Hour of the Garden Birds”
From Friday to Sunday, birds will again be counted nationwide
A flock of starlings perch on power lines. (archive image)
© Source: Armin Weigel/dpa
Berlin. At the weekend, birds will be counted all over the country again. The nature conservation association Nabu and the Bavarian state association for bird protection are calling for this year’s “Hour of Garden Birds” from Friday to Sunday. During the nationwide bird count, everyone is called upon to spend an hour counting and reporting birds in the garden, in the park, on the balcony or from the room window, as the Nabu announced on Wednesday in Berlin.
Anyone who counts birds is also doing something good for themselves, said Nabu Federal Managing Director Leif Miller: “Several studies have shown that bird watching has a very positive effect on well-being.” Bird singing reduces psychological stress.
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Some birds are endangered species
According to Miller, the aim of the scientific hands-on campaign, which has been taking place since 2006, is to track trends in populations over the years: “This time we also want to look at changes in the bird world as a result of the climate crisis.”
The tree sparrow, for example, which is already on the early warning list of the Red List of Threatened Species, is a source of concern. The brother of the house sparrow is threatened by intensive land use, which means that it can hardly find seeds, insects or nesting sites.
Around 1.5 million birds were reported last year
According to the Nature Conservation Union, 67,000 people took part in the count last year and reported more than 1.5 million birds. Together with the sister campaign “Hour of the Winter Birds”, which always takes place at the beginning of January, this is Germany’s largest scientific hands-on campaign.
Observations can be reported online at www.stundendergartenvoegel.de, but also by post or telephone. Registration deadline is May 22nd.
RND/epd
