View the species distribution maps from data gathered so far Search this site: Contact us Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas Bird Studies Canada Box 24-200 Saulteaux Cr, Winnipeg, MB R3J 3W3 1-800-214-6497 (204) 945-6816 Manitoba Atlas Partners     Manitoba Atlas Sponsors Here are some of our major sponsors:

Welcome to the Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas Birds can tell us a lot about the environment in which we live. Because they are sensitive to environmental stressors and occupy virtually all terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats, knowing where birds are and what habitats they use can help us assess ecosystem health. Close to 300 species of birds breed each year in Manitoba. These include species from the prairie grassland ecosystems, the boreal forest and the coastal tundra of Hudson Bay. We need data on all of these species to understand changes in the centre of the North American continent. The Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas is an ambitious five-year project to engage citizens in documenting the distribution and abundance of all breeding birds throughout the entire province of Manitoba. This important initiative is a collaboration of many partners who share a passion for environmental monitoring. The Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas is run largely by volunteers and we are always looking for people who would like to be involved as citizen scientists or in other capacities. Join the effort! Anyone with a pair of binoculars and bird watching experience, or even a desire to learn about birds, can participate. You don't need to be an expert--we just ask that you are confident in the identification of the birds you report. We are also looking for people with other skills such as editing, graphic design, fundraising and promotional experience. Participants can register here or email or phone us at 1-800-214-6497 for more information.   Latest news from the atlas 25 April 2012: BAILLIE BIRDATHON Christian & others will do a Baillie Birdathon this year to raise money for the atlas. Please click here and click on "sponsor us" to sponsor any one of the Manitoba team. You might even like to join the team and do a birdathon of your own. Wish us luck for a big day total in excess of 200 species! 25 April 2012: ATLASSING WORKSHOPS! Join us on for short, informal atlassing sessions at Assiniboine Park at 6:30 pm on April 25th, May 4th and May 9th. Please note the cancellation on April 27th. We will meet at the footbridge that provides access to the park from Portage (south side of the river inside Assiniboine Park). 10 April 2012: New Species At Risk Guide! As part of our ongoing efforts to create awareness about Species At Risk (SAR), we are pleased to launch a new detailed online guide to Manitoba SAR. To access this site, click here or on the button with an image of a Red-headed Woodpecker in the top right corner of the atlas homepage. We plan to continually add information to this site, so please get in touch if you have questions, comments, or can contribute to this site. View archives What is an Atlas Mapping birds is quickly becoming a worldwide phenomenon. It is fun to participate of course, but the results are an invaluable foundation of information for conserving birds and their ecosystems. Not long ago, atlases were books of maps but more recently atlases have on-line versions that are interactive. The Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas will be on-line and we hope to have a book too. To find out more, click here.   Our photographers Thank you to the people who have generously provided photos to make this web site better. Photos for the front page that do not show credit (e.g., banner and mosaique) were provided by Christian Artuso and Garry Budyk. If you are interested in providing photos to use on this site (or if we forgot to include your name), we would love to hear from you! Try Our New Atlas Quiz   Want to practice your Atlas codes. Try our new QUIZ, a great learning tool! NOCTURNAL OWL SURVEYS and the ATLAS... The Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas and the Manitoba Nocturnal Owl Survey have teamed up to make your data do double duty! From now on, all nocturnal owl survey data will be automatically entered into the atlas. Simply conduct your NOS route in the usual fashion and submit your data and we will take care of it! The 2011 Nocturnal Owl Survey forms are posted here. HOWEVER, if you are feeling generous, you can do a few things to help us with efficient data transfer. Please click HERE to read our step-by-step instructions. This is a great way to get your atlassing season off to a flying start. Contact Christian Artuso (telephone: 204-945-6816 or use our toll-free number: 1-800-214-6497 if you like) to learn more.

CONTACT US A Great Learning Tool The online tool Dendroica allows you to browse photos, listen to bird songs, and improve your abilities by quizzing yourself. TOP 10 CONTRIBUTORS List of participants who contributed the most to data collection. For a complete list, click here. Number of records Number of hours Number of species Number of squares Number of point counts Participant Total Golden-winged Warbler are listed as threatened in Canada. Find out more about the Manitoba Golden-winged Warbler Survey. We encourage you to report details of your observations of breeding Species At Risk. Follow this link for a fact sheet about all COSEWIC bird species that breed in Manitoba. Your observations of Chimney Swift (a threatened species) can have double value in this period, assisting both the Atlas and The Manitoba Chimney Swift Initiative (MCSI). Read more.... Endorsements …an important initiative that will provide much needed data on bird distribution and abundance in the central North American continent, in particular the central boreal forest and the north-eastern part of the central prairie region. — Dr. Stuart Butchart of Birdlife International The great thing about a bird atlas project, especially the way Manitoba is doing it, is that it gives everyone a chance to get involved and help monitor the health of natural areas. Even beginning birders can help by identifying the species they know well enough. If you care about the birds, I encourage you to do your part. The more of us we have out on the land counting birds, the more of us there will be to defend the wild places they need to survive. — Trevor Herriot, author of Grass, Sky, Song: Promise and Peril in the World of Grassland Birds.