Natural History Wanderings

from Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Sadly, we know birds are declining overall. But what’s happening to specific birds in specific areas? A new tool called eBird Trends helps answer those questions by revealing local changes in bird abundance over the past 15 years. For example, Wood Thrush numbers have declined over the past half century, but the eBird Trend map above paints a more complex picture of recent breeding population changes: some areas show declines while others show increases.

Here’s how you can use the new eBird Trends maps to find out how species are doing near you—a first step in helping to change their prospects.