Canada's migratory birds will receive a significant conservation boost through a new federal investment aimed at improving monitoring programs, protecting species at risk, and strengthening the scientific data used to guide conservation efforts across the country.
Last week, the federal government announced a $2.6 million investment over five years to support Birds Canada and its national network of bird monitoring and conservation initiatives. The funding was announced in Vancouver by Wade Grant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
The investment will support a wide range of projects designed to gather new information about the distribution, abundance, status, and population trends of migratory birds, including species considered at risk. The work will involve experts and thousands of volunteer citizen scientists contributing observations from habitats across Canada.
For rural Canadians and small-scale farmers, healthy bird populations are often an indicator of healthy ecosystems. Birds play important roles in agricultural landscapes by helping control insect populations, contributing to biodiversity, and providing insight into the health of grasslands, wetlands, forests, and other habitats that support farming communities.
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the data collected through these programs will be available through NatureCounts, an open-access platform managed by Birds Canada. The platform is recognized as one of the world's largest biodiversity databases and helps researchers, governments, conservation organizations, and land managers make science-based decisions.
The federal government said strong biodiversity data is essential to understanding environmental change, assessing climate impacts, and addressing declines in wildlife populations.
Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature Julie Dabrusin said monitoring and conserving birds helps Canadians better understand environmental change, climate impacts, and biodiversity challenges. She noted that healthy ecosystems are essential for both current and future generations.
Funding will support initiatives including the Breeding Bird Atlases in Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Newfoundland, species-at-risk recovery planning in Ontario, American Woodcock Surveys across Eastern Canada, and conservation planning for aerial insectivores and grassland birds at risk.
Many of these species rely on farmland, pastures, wetlands, hedgerows, and other working landscapes maintained by farmers and rural landowners. As a result, conservation efforts often go hand in hand with agricultural stewardship practices that help preserve habitat while maintaining productive operations.
Patrick Nadeau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Birds Canada, said the agreement will empower tens of thousands of Canadians to contribute directly to conservation through citizen science. He added that the scientific information collected by volunteers will help identify and protect important habitats needed by bird populations.
The federal government noted that biodiversity information generated through NatureCounts can be used in environmental assessments, climate research, conservation planning, and land management decisions. The information can also help scientists better understand how climate-related pressures affect ecosystems and evaluate the effectiveness of conservation measures.
The announcement forms part of the government's broader Nature Strategy, known as A Force of Nature: Canada's Strategy to Protect Nature.