Migratory Bird Center
Encyclopedia
The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center is dedicated to fostering greater understanding, appreciation, and protection of the grand phenomenon of bird migration
.
Founded with Congressional support in 1991 at a time of increased awareness of the conservation issues facing North American migratory songbirds, it was incorporated in the National Zoological Park
in 1997.
In 1998 it developed the Bird Friendly coffee program, a unique initiative that fosters management practices at coffee farms that are good for birds and highly marketable in the growing "green" business sector. Coffee grown under the program is certified as shade grown
and organic
and is marketed to environmentally-aware consumers, whose purchases support the conservation of migratory birds. The criteria for Bird Friendly certification emerged directly from basic research on migratory bird-habitat relationships carried out by Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center scientists.
From an initial focus on the conservation biology of Neotropical songbirds, its research now includes the role of disease in population declines in migratory birds, environmental challenges facing urban and suburban birds and their adaptation to changes in natural and anthropogenic habitats and climate, and the conservation biology of wetland birds.
It is one of the few research groups that has active, multi-year research programs dealing with migratory birds in both their breeding and non-breeding areas, augmented by studies of how specific breeding and non-breeding populations are connected by migration.
They sponsor advanced undergraduate and graduate students at collaborating institutions, as well as in-house post-doctoral fellowships.
The center's education efforts include the creation of International Migratory Bird Day, a holiday which is celebrated on the second Saturday of May in the United States and Canada, and on the second Saturday of October in most of Latin America.
Neighborhood Nestwatch, its community-based science and educational outreach program, involves volunteers in monitoring the reproductive success and survival of birds in their communities.
Its Bridging the Americas/Unidos por las Aves program, an education program that partners elementary school classes in the Washington, D.C. area with classes in Latin America and the Caribbean. The goals of the program are
Since 1993, over 10,000 students from classrooms in the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, the British Virgin Islands, and Ecuador have participated.
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
.
Founded with Congressional support in 1991 at a time of increased awareness of the conservation issues facing North American migratory songbirds, it was incorporated in the National Zoological Park
Smithsonian National Zoological Park
The Smithsonian National Zoological Park, commonly known as the National Zoo, is one of the oldest zoos in the United States, and as part of the Smithsonian Institution, does not charge admission. Founded in 1889, its mission is to provide leadership in animal care, science, education,...
in 1997.
In 1998 it developed the Bird Friendly coffee program, a unique initiative that fosters management practices at coffee farms that are good for birds and highly marketable in the growing "green" business sector. Coffee grown under the program is certified as shade grown
Shade grown coffee
Shade-grown coffee is a form of the beverage produced from coffee plants grown under a canopy of trees. Because it incorporates principles of natural ecology to promote natural ecological relationships, shade-grown coffee can be considered an offshoot of agricultural permaculture.-History:Most of...
and organic
Organic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
and is marketed to environmentally-aware consumers, whose purchases support the conservation of migratory birds. The criteria for Bird Friendly certification emerged directly from basic research on migratory bird-habitat relationships carried out by Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center scientists.
From an initial focus on the conservation biology of Neotropical songbirds, its research now includes the role of disease in population declines in migratory birds, environmental challenges facing urban and suburban birds and their adaptation to changes in natural and anthropogenic habitats and climate, and the conservation biology of wetland birds.
It is one of the few research groups that has active, multi-year research programs dealing with migratory birds in both their breeding and non-breeding areas, augmented by studies of how specific breeding and non-breeding populations are connected by migration.
They sponsor advanced undergraduate and graduate students at collaborating institutions, as well as in-house post-doctoral fellowships.
The center's education efforts include the creation of International Migratory Bird Day, a holiday which is celebrated on the second Saturday of May in the United States and Canada, and on the second Saturday of October in most of Latin America.
Neighborhood Nestwatch, its community-based science and educational outreach program, involves volunteers in monitoring the reproductive success and survival of birds in their communities.
Its Bridging the Americas/Unidos por las Aves program, an education program that partners elementary school classes in the Washington, D.C. area with classes in Latin America and the Caribbean. The goals of the program are
- to teach students about the migratory birds that connect these two regions of the hemisphere and the need to protect their habitats, and
- to stimulate an interest in learning about other countries and their cultures.
Since 1993, over 10,000 students from classrooms in the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, the British Virgin Islands, and Ecuador have participated.