Montana Birds and Birders in the 21st Century: There’s an App for That!

Presented by Dan Casey

The relationship between birding and conservation has matured in many ways over the past three decades. Priorities have been established, partnerships formed, and opportunities for birders to engage in data collection and conservation action continue to increase. With new monitoring efforts, Montana Online Birders (MOB), and “Birds of Montana”, we have access to more information than ever before regarding our birds and their habitats. But perhaps the most significant advance is “eBird”, an automated interactive database launched by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and National Audubon in 2002. Tapping into birders’ passion, knowledge, energy, and (yes) competitiveness, eBird now houses more than 350 million bird records worldwide! Available as a free app for mobile devices, and with an easy-to-navigate website, eBird has many innovative uses, including helping to inform conservation action across the continent.

Dan Casey will provide an entertaining summary of the latest and greatest in MT bird conservation, including an update from his new position in eastern Montana, and a full demonstration of what eBird has to offer. This will include showing how by entering your own checklists into eBird can have a lasting influence on habitat conservation efforts in the Flathead and elsewhere. In addition to enjoying photos of Montana’s birds and habitats, you should come away from the presentation inspired to play a personal role in connecting birding to conservation, and ready to go “e-Birding”!

Dan Casey has been a fix7ture in Montana’s ornithological community for nearly 35 years, and co-authored the recently-released “Birds of Montana”. After more than 30 years in the Flathead Valley working for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and American Bird Conservancy, he now works for Ducks Unlimited, as the Northern Great Plains Joint Venture Coordinator out of Billings.

Please join us at 7 PM on Monday, September 12. We will meet in the United Way Conference Room at the Gateway Community Center, off US Highway 2 West in Kalispell.