Here in Colorado, we are absolutely blessed to be in the presence of so… many… birds. On my back porch, at any given moment I can see a gold finch, a blue jay, a hummingbird and my nemesis, the blue heron. I hate him. He has reduced our pond’s fish population from 20 to 6. He is a real bastard, but dang if he isn’t a beauty.
My husband recently got his first Birdfy camera bird feeder, and we’re completely obsessed. Getting notifications on our phones, watching the various visitors, and seeing all the detailed close-ups of them eating is endlessly entertaining and a wonderful way to connect with the little residents of our backyard. These feathered friends (I hate myself for saying feathered friends – but it felt right), are hard at work keeping our environment healthy and balanced. Fortunately for beautiful Colorado, a number of dedicated nonprofit organizations across the state are working tirelessly to ensure that our birds thrive.
I’ll start with one which I am fairly familiar with, the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. This organization has a broad reach, from the Rockies into the Great Plains and even south to Mexico. Their work is a combination of scientific study, public outreach, and land management. They conduct extensive bird surveys, which help us understand bird populations and how they’re faring. This information guides their land stewardship efforts, where they collaborate with landowners to improve and restore areas for birds. Their educational programs bring people closer to nature, helping to create an appreciation for birds and the need to protect their homes…