Calgary's growing birding community concerned about migration, light pollution
Birding is taking off as a new popular hobby in Calgary but without some societal changes, members of the community worry for its future.
Thousands of birding enthusiasts in Alberta are out in parks, chatting over binoculars or sharing photos on social media.
The community grew rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to its relatively low barrier to entry and outdoor appeal.
"Birding is something that's very straightforward and easy to get into as a hobby," Calgarian Roland Dechesne said.
"There's lots of different ways to do it and they're all valuable."
But as people flock to city green spaces, those in the community also have some concerns revolving around population and migration patterns.
"First off, light at night has a variety of problems it can create for birds," Dechesne told CTV News.
"Cities act as light domes from the birds' perspective and they will be veering off their natural migration pathways into city areas."
Dechesne has been encouraging businesses and residents to be cognizant of how they're utilizing lighting.
He says many birds can become confused by bright areas: some migrating too soon due to the confusion; others flying into well-lit areas and dying.
"And if we can see that the birds are in trouble, it means the rest of the ecology may be stressed," he said.
"But light pollution is one of the easiest problems to fix. ... Flick a switch and you can start the process."
Sara Jordan-McLachlan with Bird-Friendly Calgary says it's not just lighting.
New, cleaner and more reflective types of windows have caused more bird deaths.
Jordan-McLachlan is part of a Calgary Urban Species Response Team crew that surveys for issues around the city.
Since 2019, volunteers have systematically conducted counts downtown to find evidence of window strikes by birds and bats during spring and fall migration.
They've found hundreds of instances.
"There are a lot of knowledge gaps in terms of how birds migrate, where exactly they migrate, what's bringing them into cities and what's causing these collisions inside cities," Jordan-McLachlan said.
"So the goal is to gather as much data as we can and then use that to provide education and guidelines for buildings and retrofitting for homes and businesses."
To learn more about the surveys — or how to protect local birds from light pollution and windows — visit the organization's website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6921489.1718074294!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'People get very sick': Manitoba sees rise in rare, potentially fatal bacterial infection
A rise in cases of a rare bacterial infection in Manitoba has prompted health officials to issue a warning.
Feels like 40+: Heat warnings to last into the weekend for some provinces
Residents of some provinces are being warned of extreme heat this week, while elsewhere, some saw record-breaking lows this weekend.
Third teen pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of homeless Toronto man
A third girl accused in the death of a homeless Toronto man has pleaded guilty.
China blames Philippines for ship collision in South China Sea. Manila calls the report deceptive
A Chinese vessel and a Philippine supply ship collided near the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Monday, China's coast guard said, in the latest flare-up of escalating territorial disputes that have sparked alarm.
Canadians paying significantly more for airfares as summer ticket prices jump
A new report says travellers are paying significantly more to fly within Canada this summer compared with last year.
opinion Symbolic meaning behind Princess of Wales' style choices at first public appearance since diagnosis revealed
The Trooping the Colour marked the first public outing this year for the Princess of Wales, who has not been seen at any official royal engagements since December 2023. We now know that was due to abdominal surgery and preventive chemotherapy, with no return to public life anytime soon. But the Princess of Wales chose this occasion to soft launch her return to royal life, and it was eagerly anticipated.
Canadian-American suspect in plot to kill Sikh separatist extradited to U.S.
An Indian man suspected by the U.S. of involvement in an unsuccessful plot to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil has been extradited to the United States from the Czech Republic, the Czech justice minister said on Monday.
Safety board says unregistered submersibles still operating since Titan
The Transportation Safety Board says other unregistered submersibles have been operating within Canadian waters since the Titan made its doomed descent to view the Titanic wreck one year ago.
Gordon Ramsay says he's 'lucky' to be alive, shows off severe bruising after cycling accident
Gordon Ramsay says he's grateful to be alive but shaken after a recent cycling accident in Connecticut.