A NOTE FROM OUR TEAM

Hello!

Last week, we launched Project Phoenix – a statewide community science project to study how wildfire smoke impacts birds in California. In just 10 days, we have already enrolled more than 80 volunteers!

Thank you for joining our team. By observing birds for just 10 minutes a week, you will help us collect critical data to protect birds in the age of megafires. Our research would not be possible without you!

Data collection starts next week, and our goal is to reach 150 volunteers by August 1st. Could you help us spread the word? Please consider forwarding this newsletter to friends and family in California and encourage them to participate in Project Phoenix. Beginner birders are welcome!

We are currently assembling mailers to send to volunteers who indicated they would like printed copies of our survey instructions and resources on species identification. We appreciate your patience. In the meantime, if you have any questions about data collection, please get in touch. We are here to support you.

Happy Birding!

Olivia V. Sanderfoot, Ph.D. | Program Director, Project Phoenix

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: What Is This?

Our Volunteer Spotlight is dedicated to celebrating all the wonderful volunteers who make Project Phoenix possible!

We’d love to share your story. Consider telling us more about your journey to Project Phoenix by filling out the form at the bottom of our volunteers page.

We encourage our volunteers to let us know why they’re excited about Project Phoenix, but we’re keen on learning more about you, too! Here are some questions to think about:

• When did you first become interested in birding?

• What is your favorite place to explore, or just be outside?

• Do you have a favorite bird (or more than one)?

• Tell us about a memorable birding experience.

• What are you hoping to learn from participating in Project Phoenix?

We’d also love to celebrate your nature photography, artwork, writing, and other creative endeavors. Feel free to send us examples of your art and photos of your birding adventures to projectphoenix.socal@gmail.com.

We hope to hear from you soon!

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

BIRDS OF THE WEEK: Mourning Dove and Rock Pigeon

by Caitlin O’Neil | Communications Lead, Project Phoenix

If you’ve spent time in any part of North America, you’ve definitely seen or heard one of these birds from the Columbidae family.

The gentle coos of the Mourning Dove have acted as the soundtrack to early mornings for centuries across the country. These soft brown and gray birds live nearly everywhere, perching on telephone wires or foraging through patches of open ground. And while these birds may be known for their calming call, they are also recognizable for the whistling noise that their wings make when they take flight. As air passes through a Mourning Dove’s wings, the tips of its flight feathers vibrate, creating a distinct whistling.

The Rock Pigeon, also known as the Rock Dove, is perhaps not as beloved as its Mourning Dove cousin. Often considered to be a pest or nuisance, pigeons seem to overcrowd city streets and skylines. But these spectacular gray birds were not always pushed to the curb – they were originally domesticated by humans over 5,000 years ago! Their incredible ability to return home from far-away locations was soon harnessed into “pigeon posts” all across the globe. The Romans, Genghis Khan, and soldiers in World War I and World War II used pigeon posts to deliver mail across their vast empires.

FEATURED STORY: Birdability

By Caitlin O’Neil | Communications Lead, Project Phoenix

Birdability is a non-profit on a mission to ensure birding is accessible to everybody and every body. The organization’s goal is to share the joys of birding with people who have disabilities or other health concerns. Here at Project Phoenix, we support the Birdability movement and strive to ensure birding is safe, accessible, welcoming, and inclusive for all.

We encourage our volunteers to check out Birdability’s website to learn more about their mission and vision. The site features numerous guidance documents, including recommended access considerations and best practices, to help organizations design birding outings that are safer and more enjoyable for people with disabilities. Birdability also hosts an interactive map of crowd-sourced birding locations, each with an extensive checklist documenting access considerations. Anyone can submit reviews to add sites to the map.

We’d love to see Project Phoenix volunteers contribute to the Birdability map! Volunteers who submit a review will receive stickers with the Project Phoenix logo. Just send us a copy of your review by emailing projectphoenix.socal@gmail.com.

Save the date for Birdability Week 2023, and sign up for the Birdability newsletter for the latest news from this fantastic organization.