The British Columbia Breeding Bird Atlas is now complete, and freely available online for everyone. It’s a stunning document visually and impressively detailed in its coverage of BC’s 320 breeding birds. This landmark publication is the first of its kind in Canada to be published online, and it’s thought to be the most comprehensive web resource of its type in the world. User-friendly features make it accessible to environmental professionals, students, educators, and members of the public.

The Atlas is the result of one of the largest citizen science initiatives the province has ever seen:  1,300 British Columbians, including many BCFO members, contributed 60,000 hours of dedicated volunteerism over the eight years of the project.  The public-private initiative was supported by 140 partners, donors and special contributors.

This milestone is particularly rewarding for BCFO members as we have been supporters of this major project since its inception. Congratulations to all involved.

A sample species account is copied below, but there is so much more available at the Atlas website.

We all prefer to see this:

Varied Thrush in Aronia bush

Not this:

Varied Thrush killed by a window-strike

BCFO Member and past BCFO Director June Ryder is getting a campaign off the ground to raise public awareness of the importance of reducing the numbers birds that collide with windows. BCFO supports this campaign and urges all members and others to download the Birds Against Buildings flyer compiled by June and shown below. Please share this important information with friends, neighbours, and organizations to which you belong. Make your own home more bird friendly, and encourage others to do the same whether houses, apartments, or places of work.

Download Birds Against Buildings .