Dec. 24—Kids can join in the long-standing winter tradition of counting area birds this weekend.
The Kids’ Winter Bird Count will take place from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at the Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center, 201 W. Riviera Drive in Joplin’s Wildcat Park.
The Missouri Department of Conservation is asking everyone who wants to attend to register at mdc.mo.gov at the events page or by calling the Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center at 417-629-3434. People can register up to the day of the event.
The bird count is for ages 7 to 17 and is a partnership between the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Ozark Gateway Audubon Society Chapter and Wildcat Glades Nature Group.
“We’re going to be taking kids out into nature, learning about birds,” said Kevin Badgley, education center manager with the Missouri Department of Conservation. “It’s in the same tradition of the Winter Bird Count that we do across the nation. It’s to get kids and families excited about birding.”
Badgley said for the first part of the event, they’ll go over how to identify birds, common birds to see this time of year and the importance of bird conservation. Then they’ll take everyone outside to be partnered with an experienced birder. Small groups will survey the area to explore the different birds and list them. Finally, they will compile the list back at the nature center and have a lunch provided by the Ozark Gateway Audubon Society Chapter.
Kids can bring their own binoculars, but if not they will have some on hand to use. Badgley said it’s an easy-rated hike and kids should dress for the weather.
Badgley said common birds to see this time of year are the typical backyard feeder birds such as cardinals, goldfinches, bluebirds and sparrows. Kids might even get to see a bald eagle or a great blue heron. At the nature center’s unique location, birders can spot anywhere from 50 to 75 bird species.
“The good thing about where we’re situated in Joplin is that we’ve got water birds at Shoal Creek and Silver Creek,” Badgley said. “We also have the woodland area down along the creek and also the open glades. We actually have quite a few habitats converging so you get a lot of different species of birds.”
The event will work on kids’ observation skills and give them a positive experience in nature, Badgley said. It will also provide them the basics of birding, a hobby that can last them a lifetime.
“The reason it’s important is birds are one of those species where you can observe trends to see where these bird species are falling throughout the world, especially here in the United States,” Badgley said. “A lot of our migratory birds, especially our grassland birds in the Four-State Area, their numbers have dwindled. It’s a good barometer of how we’re doing and ways we can interact with different birds to help the habitat itself.”