Belize Audubon Society Concludes 125th Christmas Bird Count

This week, the Belize Audubon Society wrapped up its participation in the hundred and twenty-fifth Christmas Bird Count. This international bird-watching event runs from December fourteenth to January fifth across the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. This season, bird watchers recorded a staggering forty million, eight and seventy thousand and thirty birds, though the numbers continue to show a worrying decline despite increased preservation efforts. The count documented between one hundred and eighty-three and two hundred and sixty-five species at various field locations. Environmental Education Officer at the Belize Audubon Society, Miguel Sho, shared some insights into the bird count as the team made their rounds in Belize City. Here’s more on that.

 

Miguel Sho, Environmental Education Officer, B.A.S.

“ So fifteen miles in diameter is a really huge circle and we have several teams trying to cover the entire area. For the sector that we are in, we are covering the Belize River. Then we will be covering the left of Ladyville when you’re heading up to Orange Walk, the left side Lords Bank area, and other feeder roads that is within our sectors. Because it’s hard to get to the section by foot or by vehicle, we’re using water transportation provided by the Belize River Lodge to conduct our count on the Belize River itself. And currently, we have seen a good amount of birds so one of the highlights of which is a flyover was the Keel Bill Toucan and a Blue-Winged Teal that we saw on the water as well.  And we also saw some wading birds, like the Great Blue Herons Snowy Egrets, and of course the, a majestic bear throated Tiger Heron”

 

Cameraman

“Why is it important to do the bird count?”

 

Miguel Sho

“The bird count is important because you are able to get so valuable data that can help promote conservation within Belize itself because each year we put do the count you would be able to see trends in bird populations and you would be able to get information such as bird movements within Belize itself. The data that we also gather from these counts can show you information on diversity of birds and also that indicates the ecosystem health because if there’s no birds, that means that something is wrong. But if you’re seeing more birds, then. That means that we are doing something good within the country itself because birds they need a good habitat in order for them to thrive.”