A NOTE FROM OUR TEAM

With the arrival of September, the rush of back-to-school, and Halloween decor available in stores, the fall season is well on its way! But, the weather on the West Coast has other ideas. High temperatures are hitting California, Oregon, and Washington - causing excessive heat warnings to be issued across the three states. Even though many of us on the West Coast are used to this heat, here at Project Phoenix, we want to encourage all of our volunteers to take precautions to protect your health and safety during this wild weather. Consider conducting your weekly surveys in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler, or staying indoors to monitor birds through a window - just register your new indoor monitoring site using this form. The National Weather Service is a wonderful resource for staying up-to-date on severe weather alerts and actions to take to protect your health during this heat.

Wishing you all safe & happy birding!

We love to hear from our volunteers! What motivated you to join Project Phoenix? Click here to share your story.

The Bushtit, a tiny gray and brown bird, is a common songbird that spans the western United States and Mexico. It is the only member of its family (Aegithalidae) that resides in North America – the rest of the Aegithalidae family, consisting of seven other species, are found across Eurasia. These social birds are found in flocks of between 10 and 40 birds, typically in open woodlands, chaparral, and suburbs. Their diet consists of small insects and spiders, but some Bushtits have also been observed eating willow seeds and olives! Bushtits construct soft, elaborate, hanging nests using spiderwebs and plant fibers. This process can take up to a month to complete! The nest is camouflaged with feathers, fur, and other soft pieces of plants. Unlike most other bird species, breeding pairs of Bushtits are often assisted in raising their nestlings by other adult birds. This phenomenon of assisting in raising young is known as alloparenting - and it occurs more than 100 species of avians! It is especially likely to occur in social birds like Bushtits. This behavior is even more unusual in Bushtits because most of these helpers are adult males.

Project Phoenix volunteer Nadine Santo Pietro and Program Director Olivia Sanderfoot were interviewed this week on KUOW, the local Seattle NPR station, about Project Phoenix! Listen to the interview here.

by Caitlin O’Neil | Communications Lead, Project Phoenix

This week has brought an unbearable heat wave to the West Coast of the United States. If you’re in southern California, northern Oregon, or southern Washington, you may have received a severe weather alert from the National Weather Service, warning communities to expect extreme heat from earlier this week until 8:00 pm PST on Friday. We encourage our volunteers to stay safe by keeping hydrated, staying inside in air-conditioned spaces, and checking in on neighbors and relatives.

Birds are also going to be affected by this heatwave and, unlike many of us, won’t be able to seek shelter indoors. But, we can help our feathered friends during this heat wave by providing two simple things - water and shade.

Having ample access to drinking water helps birds remain hydrated. When birds pant, water evaporates from their upper airways, removing excess body heat. This helps to cool them down, but also dehydrates them, which in turn increases their water uptake. Birds also use water to cool themselves down by bathing in it. Bathing in water helps to lower their body temperature by absorbing their body heat. Putting out water for birds or maintaining a bird bath is an easy way to help our feathered friends stay cool and hydrated - just make sure to regularly clean the basin every two to three days to help prevent the spread of diseases.

Shade is another resource that is immensely helpful to birds during extreme heat. Birds may choose to rest in cool, shaded areas during the day instead of going about their normal activities. Shade can be provided by natural sources, like shrubs and trees, or by umbrellas, awnings, or other artificial coverings. Having a green space with lots of canopy cover provided by native plants can also help to support birds by providing a food source as well as shaded shelter. For more information on keeping birds safe during extreme heat, consider checking out this article by the National Audubon Society.

Thank you to all our partners and supporting organizations!

Project Phoenix is grateful to our partners and all the supporting organizations who help our program soar. Visit our partners page to learn more about the incredible work of these non-profit organizations – from science to conservation to outdoor recreation, these orgs are dedicated to protecting our environment for people and the birds we love.