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January 2022

The Audubon Bird Research Email Newsletter provides you with monthly updates outlining the work we are doing as part of the scientific research initiative at the Audubon Society of Rhode Island. You will also receive emails when we are in need of volunteers for projects. Suggestions and questions regarding the newsletter can be sent to Dr. Charles Clarkson, Audubon Director of Avian Research, cclarkson@asri.org.

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Nonbreeding Season Data Collection Update

On 1 January 2022, the Audubon Society of Rhode Island initiated a monitoring program across its publicly accessible refuges to collect a baseline data set of the winter distribution and abundance of birds. Using field protocol similar to that deployed by the recently completed statewide Bird Atlas, over 60 volunteers have signed-on to aid in data collection. Concurrent with volunteer surveys, point counts are being conducted across the same refuges by Audubon staff. These two sources of data will ultimately be used to inform management and monitoring across our properties.

This early in the game, data analysis is not possible. We can, however, monitor progress and look at how things are shaping up. To date, six of our refuges have been surveyed by volunteers and a total of 580 individual birds have been counted, representing 41 species. Meanwhile, point counts have detected a total of 642 individuals across 43 different species.


Nocturnal and Breeding Season Surveys


Blog: Bird Research at Audubon

Through donor support of any kind, Audubon can fulfill its mission of educating five-year-olds about the wonders of wildlife, managing habitat for declining pollinator species, or permanently protecting forests, fields, and wetlands, it is connecting its founding legacy to what lies ahead.

It's here! This comprehensive, but relatively easy-to-read publication, with its charts, maps and photos, is a wealth of information about breeding bird populations in the Ocean State. In the latest Newport this Week Nature in the Neighborhood installment, Audubon's Lauren Parmelee talks about the data collection process and summarizes some of the findings.

Each year in the United States, as many as 1 billion birds die from flying into windows. Help us understand which birds are dying & and where: monitor & report window strike deaths to the Audubon Society of RI this fall.


Learn More About Bird Research at Audubon