For the past decade, Tennessee Wildlife Federation has been a proud supporter of the Warner Park Nature Center BIRD Program. The Bird Information Research and Data (BIRD) Program is a year-round program promoting bird conservation, habitat preservation, and education.
Each year, the Federation’s resident birder and beekeeper, Tony Lance, attends Warner Park Nature Center’s various bird celebrations and shares information about conservation efforts in Tennessee. The Federation invites its friends to visit us at the Spring Bird Celebration on Saturday, April 28 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In 2017, the BIRD Program conducted 14 research projects, banded or recaptured nearly 1,000 birds, and engaged nearly 5,000 individuals in 40 separate program offerings.
Programs include public hikes and bird capture and banding sessions, giving bird enthusiasts and laypersons alike the opportunity to learn more about and interact with various species of birds. As part of the BIRD Program, Warner Park Nature Center also offers special hummingbird sessions and programming.
By banding birds, ornithologists and bird conservationists are able to track the migratory patterns and habits of various species of birds. This information helps conservationists identify prime areas for conservation and restoration projects to ensure ongoing biodiversity and multispecies proliferation.
“Tennessee Wildlife Federation enjoys the opportunity to support our friends at Warner Park Nature Center, and specifically, their BIRD program. The program highlights the importance of directing conservation efforts for all species, including nongame species, and the habitats they call home. We know that balanced, healthy ecosystems are essential to thriving wildlife, and we like to support that with partnerships in addition to our own programs.”
Tony Lance, Federation administration manager and avid birder
During this “Year of the Bird,” the Program is expanding its already impressive list of offerings to include more birding activities this spring and throughout the year. For the second year, Warner Park will also host Hummingbird Happy Hour—an event open to the public and the main event supporting BIRD—on Friday, September 7, 2018. For more information about the Warner Park Nature Centers BIRD Program, visit here.
Featured photo by David Sloas