We all know something about birds. We see them almost everywhere we go and we can all recognise some of the ones we see. We may also recognise some birds by their many and varied songs, often lovely sounds that brighten our day.
Birds are also an excellent indicator of the health of the environment. A knowledge of the interactions of birds and their habitats and how bird populations have changed over the years helps us to identify environmental problems and hopefully work out solutions. Alarmingly, many bird populations have shown large declines over recent decades.
We know a lot about such interactions and population changes not only because of the work of professional scientists but also because thousands of volunteers across the country participate in a whole variety of bird surveys. Each volunteer only covers a very small area of the country or a single habitat but when all these observations are put together we get a very detailed picture of birds across the whole country, an invaluable resource.
Britain has a rich variety of habitats including woodland, farmland, moors, mountains, coast and gardens to name but a few. School grounds, or local spaces or parks near to schools, are also valuable habitats for birds and other animals and it would be great to know more about how birds use these places. So why not take part in the RSPB's Big Schools' Birdwatch taking place from 4 January to 12 February 2016?
The Big Schools' Birdwatch will help encourage children to develop an interest in wildlife and the environment.
Resources are available to support schools in carrying out a survey at school or in the local area, including identification charts and teachers' notes. Results of which can be submitted online to help gather data across the country and contribute to the national picture and compare your observations with other areas across the country. There is plenty of flexibility in how you run your survey and opportunities for cross curricular activities.
The Big Schools' Birdwatch will help encourage children to develop an interest in wildlife and the environment. Some will hopefully become regular birdwatchers, a fascinating, flexible hobby that they can develop in many different ways. Hopefully some children will become the birdwatchers and surveyors of the future, a necessary progression if we are to continue to gather vital environmental information to safeguard our wildlife.