Resources for learning more about birds and their conservation in Canada:
Bird Identification
Dendroica: An aid to identifying North American birds. Large inventory of photos and recordings of bird sounds.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds: Inventory of bird sounds from around the world.
xeno-canto: Inventory of bird sounds from around the world.
Books: The Sibley Guide to Birds, Peterson Field Guide to Birds
Phone Applications: Merlin, iBird, Audubon Birds of North America, eBird by Cornell Lab
General Information About Birds
Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Detailed guide to North American birds.
Audubon guides: Detailed guide to North American birds.
Books: The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior, The Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas (2nd ed.)
Resources for learning more about or contributing to the conservation of birds in Canada:
Bird Conservation
Canadian Wildlife Service: Canada’s national wildlife agency and a branch of Environment and Climate Change Canada. One of the core components of its mandate is the protection and management of migratory birds and their habitats in the country. The Canadian Wildlife Service also creates and manages important areas to wildlife (National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries), controls the trade of endangered species, and conducts research on wildlife to inform conservation and protection efforts.
Bird Studies Canada – A national charity whose mission is to conserve birds in Canada. Bird Studies Canada coordinates many different monitoring programs (e.g. Nocturnal Owl Survey, Marsh Monitoring Program, and Breeding Bird Surveys) which rely on thousands of citizen scientists and volunteers. These monitoring programs provide information about bird species at risk, help identify species that may become conservation concerns, and inform scientists about the general health of Canada’s birds.
Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas: A five-year study that assessed the status, distribution, and abundance of birds breeding in the Maritime provinces. A comprehensive summary of the results and implications of this study, descriptions and photos of birds, and maps of where birds were located can be found on their website.
eBird Canada: An online resource to manage personal bird checklists and document observations. Includes maps of where birds have been reported across the world, details of “birding hotspots”, photos, videos, and recordings of birds. Sightings submitted by users are shared with the scientific community and used to inform conservation efforts.
Species at Risk
Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC): The advisory panel that submits status reports on wildlife species in Canada to the federal Cabinet and Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, who decide if a species should be protected under the Species at Risk Act partly based on this report.
Species at Risk Act Public Registry: News, information, and documentation pertaining to the protection and management of species at risk in Canada.
Nova Scotia Species at Risk: A guide to the species at risk in Nova Scotia and their recovery and management plans within the province.
New Brunswick Species at Risk: A guide to the species at risk in New Brunswick and their recovery and management plans within the province.
Newfoundland and Labrador Endangered Species: A guide to the species at risk in Newfoundland and Labrador and their recovery and management plans within the province.
Land Trusts
Nova Scotia Nature Trust: Purchases private lands and establishes conservation easements on private lands to protect special habitats for species at risk. Work within the province of Nova Scotia.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada: Purchases private lands and establishes conservation easements on private lands to protect special habitats for species at risk. Work across all provinces of Canada.
Environmental non-government organizations in Nova Scotia
Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute: Non-profit organization based in Kempt, Nova Scotia. Provide work space, accommodation, and other support to scientific researchers working in the area, and promote environmental stewardship and conservation.
Nova Scotia Bird Society: Hold monthly meetings in Halifax to discuss birds and their conservation in Nova Scotia, organize birdwatching field trips, support citizen science projects run by organizations such as Bird Studies Canada, and provide grant money to support scientific research aimed at bird conservation.