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Birds of Southern Ontario

Their status, threats, and what we can do to help them

Learn about common birds found in Waterloo region throughout the year, hear their sounds, and identify ways you can help address widespread declines in bird populations across North America.

This presentation highlights some of the birds found in Waterloo region throughout the year. Dr. Friesen will address the significant and widespread losses of North America’s birds (a decline of one-third individual bird abundance since 1970) and of native insect populations that are also in free-fall. He will describe how the way we have developed the urban landscape has contributed to these declines and describe how we can greatly improve matters by using native plantings and by managing our yards to provide food and shelter for birds and insects throughout the year. Dr. Friesen will show slides and play original sound recordings - made by Carol Ann Weaver, many of them recorded in their backyard - of some of the 110 species of birds that have appeared in their naturalized urban yard near downtown Waterloo in the last 30 years, offering evidence that if ‘you build it, they will come’.

There will be time for questions at the end of the program.

About the Presenters

Dr. Lyle Friesen worked for over twenty years as a Songbird Biologist with the federal government (Canadian Wildlife Service, a division of Environment Canada). His work focused on monitoring and researching native bird populations in Ontario - particularly species-at-risk including Wood Thrush, King Rail, Cerulean Warbler, Prairie Warbler and Louisiana Waterthrush - and on environmental assessment including the impacts of wind turbines on birds and bats. He has had a native plant garden at his home since 1990 and was a lead organizer of a large pollinator garden established at Rockway Mennonite Church in Kitchener in 2022.

Carol Ann Weaver is a composer and pianist whose genre-bending music often address themes of injustice, the environment, hope and celebration, while her soundscapes include her recordings of natural landscapes. She is Vice Chair of Canadian Association for Sound Ecology (CASE), recent Chair of Association of Canadian Women Composers and Professor Emerita at Conrad Grebel/University of Waterloo. Along with Lyle Friesen, she helps do presentations about the natural world — from Waterloo Region and Algonquin in Canada to Kruger and Kalahari in South Africa.

Accessibility
If you require an accessibility accommodation for this program or event, please tell us how we can meet your needs as soon as possible so arrangements can be organized. If you require a sign language interpreter, please let us know at least two-weeks (10 working weekdays) before the program date. 
  
If you are attending a registered program with a support person, please add your support worker as a guest when you sign up. 

COST: Free

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