NestWatch - SciStarter

Whether in a shrub, a tree, or a nest box, bird nests are everywhere. Find one, and you can help scientists study the biology and monitor populations of breeding birds by joining the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch program. Every year, volunteers from around the world visit nests once or twice each week and monitor their progression from incubating eggs to fuzzy chicks to fully fledged young. They then submit this data to NestWatch where it is compiled and analyzed. NestWatch helps people of all ages and backgrounds connect with nature. The information that NestWatchers collect allows us to understand the impact that various threats, such as environmental change and habitat destruction, have on breeding birds. Armed with this knowledge, we can take the necessary steps to help birds survive in this changing world.