Grab the binoculars and head outdoors for some of the most outstanding bird watching opportunities during this spring and summer. To raise awareness of neotropical migrants and migratory shorebirds and their habitats nationwide, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources- Wildlife Resources Division (WRD), Georgia Partners in Flight, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and many statewide partners designated Saturday, May 13, 2006 as International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) in Georgia. To celebrate the return of these unique migrants, WRD invites Georgians to learn more about these fascinating birds at events taking place throughout the state.

“IMBD is a celebration of the amazing journeys many birds make between the places where they nest and where they spend the non-breeding season,” said Tim Keyes, WRD Wildlife Biologist and IMBD State Coordinator. “Many state, public and private organizations are providing educational activities throughout Georgia in support of this spectacular bird migration season.”

Important Bird Area sites along Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding Trail and Southern Rivers Birding Trail offer excellent opportunities for bird watching for both amateur and experienced birders. Many IMBD events are hosted throughout Georgia, which may occur before or after the official May 13 date. WRD hosted Georgia’s first Youth Birding Competition on April 23 as a celebration of IMBD.

“We were thrilled to have 68 youth ranging from 7 to 17 years old, crisscrossing the state, tallying 180 species for the first Youth Birding Competition in Georgia,” said Keyes.

Georgia is host to more than 400 species of birds including many neotropical migrants and migratory shorebirds. These unique migratory birds travel thousands of miles to and from their wintering and breeding grounds, passing through much of Georgia. Guided by stars, the earth’s magnetic field, and landforms like rivers and mountains, birds ranging in size from 3-gram hummingbirds to 10-pound cranes navigate the western hemisphere in a race to return to their breeding grounds. The remarkable nature of these annual journeys can hardly be overstated.

“Imagine the ruby-throated hummingbird, weighing barely more than a penny, flying nonstop 500 miles over the Gulf of Mexico,” said Keyes. “It is a small but wonderful thing to step outside and enjoy their passing.”

The theme for IMBD 2006 is “The Boreal Forest: Bird Nursery of the North,” which celebrates the North American Boreal Forest, the largest remaining unspoiled forest left on the earth. Circling the globe like a giant crown just below the Arctic Circle, the Boreal region is a mosaic of interconnected habitats that includes forests, lakes, rivers, grasslands, and tundra. It is home to a variety of wildlife, including billions of birds that return each year to nest and raise their young.

The vast expanses of boreal forests encompass 1.5 billion acres stretching from northern New England through the Maritime Provinces, and west across much of Canada and Alaska. Supporting 270 nesting species, this huge area provides breeding habitat for billions of individual birds. Many of these species migrate through Georgia in spring and fall, and several species reside in the state during the winter months.

“We cherish glimpses of birds such as the Blackpoll, Bay-breasted, and Cape May warblers,” said Keyes, “in part because they spend so little time in Georgia, they can easily be missed. These three warblers make the boreal forest their home as does the Fox Sparrow and Yellow-rumped Warbler, which are winter residents in Georgia.”

For much of the last several centuries, the boreal forest has remained relatively untouched compared to the temperate regions in North America. This neglect benefited many of the birds breeding there. Today increasing pressure is being applied to these forests and the wildlife that inhabits them.

For more information about the boreal forest and the array of birds that nest there, to locate IMBD celebrations near you, or to list your organization’s birding event, visit www.birdday.org.

The Georgia Partners in Flight initiative is funded partially by monies earned through the sale of wildlife license plates. Georgians can support the conservation projects for neotropical migrants and other nongame wildlife by purchasing a wildlife license plate featuring a bald eagle or a hummingbird for their vehicle, or by donating to the “Give Wildlife a Chance” State Income Tax Checkoff. Sales of the wildlife license plates are the primary source of funding for the WRD Nongame Wildlife and Natural Heritage Section. For more information, visit the WRD website at www.georgiawildlife.com and choose “Nongame Animals & Plants.”

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