1 00:00:01,639 --> 00:00:05,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Get Connected with Nina del Rio, a weekly 2 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: conversation about fitness, health and happenings in our community on 3 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,039 Speaker 1: one oh six point seven light FM. 4 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to Get Connected. A lot of us 5 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 2: turned into birders during the pandemic, and a lot of 6 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 2: us still are. I am joined by Siman Mahmoud of 7 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 2: the NYC Bird Alliance formerly New York City Audubon, a 8 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 2: nonprofit that protects birds and strengthens urban biodiversity across New 9 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 2: York City, and in the dead of winter, we're going 10 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 2: to talk about the amazing and beautiful wild birds in 11 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:36,599 Speaker 2: the city, the threats facing them, and easy things New 12 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 2: Yorkers can do to protect birds. Saman Mahmoud, thank you 13 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 2: for being on Get Connected. 14 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for having me. 15 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:44,559 Speaker 2: You can find out more about the organization and all 16 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 2: the work they do at Nycbirdalliance dot org. It is 17 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 2: freezing outside. I thought this was kind of an interesting 18 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 2: time to have a conversation about birds because it's been 19 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 2: stressful for us. I assume it's been stressful for the birds. 20 00:00:58,000 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 2: How do the birds out there deal with the cold? 21 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 3: They're used to it, So we have the birds are 22 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,320 Speaker 3: used to some nest here in the winter, some migrate 23 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 3: down most migrate down south. New York City is in 24 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 3: the migration path, So you know, New York City sees 25 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 3: over three hundred and fifty species of birds throughout the year. 26 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 3: Some raise their young here and nests in the spring, 27 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 3: and most migrate during the winter. But spring and fall 28 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 3: migration is a very busy time in New York City. 29 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 3: It is a very busy time for birding. And we 30 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 3: are very fortunate for all the different visitors we have 31 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 3: passed by. 32 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 2: Again, between birds that migrate and those that are here 33 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:35,399 Speaker 2: year round, how many different types of birds will make 34 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 2: New York City their home and a calendar. 35 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,919 Speaker 3: Year, over three hundred and fifty species. 36 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 2: And you know that in part because of the bird 37 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 2: counts you do. It's one of the many things that 38 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 2: the organization does. What are the main focuses of New 39 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 2: York City Bird Alliance. 40 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, the main focus of New York City Bird Alliance 41 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 3: is to protect the bird of the wild birds of 42 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 3: New York City while engaging New Yorkers to strengthen urban 43 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 3: biodiversity in the city. We founded in nineteen seventy nine 44 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 3: as New York City Audubon but we're still a chapter 45 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 3: partnering with National Audibond, and so we're the leading environmental 46 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,639 Speaker 3: organization that focuses on birds and New Yorkers together building 47 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,519 Speaker 3: a safer city and more resilient city for both. 48 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,359 Speaker 2: One of the reasons I thought about this conversation recently 49 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 2: is because I got an email from somebody asking me 50 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 2: about how to figure out how to keep their buildings 51 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 2: safe from bird collisions. Bird collisions are huge in the city. 52 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 2: Your own research shows between ninety thousand and two hundred 53 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 2: and thirty thousand birds are killed in the city each 54 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 2: year by flying into glass. Talk to me about Project 55 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 2: Safe Flight. What is that? What do you do? 56 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 3: Yeah? So, Project Safe Flight is ran every spring and 57 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 3: fall during migration season, and we have volunteers go out 58 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 3: on different routes throughout the city and collect dead birds 59 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 3: that have had collisions with buildings, and we collect that 60 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 3: data and synchronize it and figure out what buildings are 61 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 3: the highest threats, and we work on engaging with buildings, 62 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 3: passing legislation and advocating on behalf of those birds to 63 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 3: make a difference. 64 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 2: One of the things I learned from your website, which 65 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 2: is really interesting, is that most bird building collisions occur 66 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 2: with buildings shorter than four stories. 67 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 3: Yeah. 68 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, Can you talk about bird friendly options for buildings 69 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:18,679 Speaker 2: and for residents. 70 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, So I'm going to talk about collisions a little 71 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 3: bit in general. So collisions, you know, is not just 72 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 3: a New York City problem. Most collisions actually happen in 73 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 3: suburban areas and at low floors of buildings. And so 74 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 3: there's over a billion birds a year in the United 75 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 3: States that die from collisions. As New York City bird Lines, 76 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 3: we lead the nation in advocating for some of the 77 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 3: most comprehensive legislation that's already been passed. You know. Local 78 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 3: Law fifteen in New York City requires all developers to 79 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 3: use bird friendly building design in creating any new building 80 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 3: or any major renovation since twenty twenty one. And so 81 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 3: if you have a renovation of a building that's close 82 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 3: to ninety percent, you have to bird friendly designed. But 83 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 3: another way that you can make your building birds safe 84 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 3: for a building a bird exists is by using adhesive 85 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 3: film on the outside of your window. Birds can't see 86 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 3: their reflection, right, so they see the reflection of like 87 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 3: vegetation of the sky. They can't see glass. That's why 88 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:19,479 Speaker 3: they collide right into it. But when you put this 89 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 3: film on, there are small dots inside that deteriorate birds, 90 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,040 Speaker 3: and they move and they literally turn upwards and will 91 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 3: fly up and so it redirects them that there is 92 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:31,599 Speaker 3: something here, there is last year, and they'll stop the 93 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 3: collision fully. The second thing is also artificial light at night. 94 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 3: Artificial light at night is one of I think the 95 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 3: easiest solutions in conservation practices that New Yorkers can practice. 96 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 3: That's turning off unnecessary light at night, especially a migration season. 97 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 3: Artificial light at night draws birds in and blinds them 98 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,479 Speaker 3: from their migration path. So New York City, which is 99 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:56,360 Speaker 3: a city of lights, deteriorates a lot of birds while 100 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 3: they're migrating, especially at night, and so the birds get 101 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 3: blinded by the light and crash right into the building 102 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 3: because they can't see it. And so we have another 103 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 3: local law that requires city owned and least buildings here 104 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 3: in New York City to turn off their lights from 105 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 3: nine pm to six am in migration season. And these 106 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 3: are the two leading pieces of legislation that we have 107 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 3: passed as an organization in the last few years. 108 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 2: My guest is Simon Mahmoud of the NYC Bird Alliance, 109 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 2: conserving birds in their habitat in New York City for 110 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 2: fifty years and offering hundreds of free programs each year. 111 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 2: You can find out more at Nycbird Alliance dot org. 112 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 2: You're listening to get connected on one six point seven 113 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:37,600 Speaker 2: light FM. I'mina del Rio. You are a native Staten 114 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 2: Islander with a background in government work. What brought you 115 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:43,160 Speaker 2: to birding and to this organization? 116 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, I am. I am a native Staten Islander originally 117 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 3: born in Brooklyn to immigrant parents. And interestingly enough, I 118 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 3: spent my saturdays as a kid with my immigrant grandmother 119 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:58,839 Speaker 3: at the Marine Park salt Marsh. You know, my grandmother 120 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,280 Speaker 3: loved nature. She grew up in the village in Pakistan, 121 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,160 Speaker 3: and you know, my family would love going walking at 122 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:06,480 Speaker 3: marine Park. I grew up in Brighton Beach, and so 123 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 3: I remember going with her to the salt marsh and 124 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 3: she would drink a cup of shy and say do 125 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 3: you hear that? And she would always say the birds' 126 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 3: names in order because she didn't speak English, and I 127 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:18,719 Speaker 3: would always be trying to translate them through a guide 128 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 3: that I had found with the library. And so I've 129 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 3: been bonding with her through birding since I was a child, 130 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 3: and I technically wasn't a burder, but I've worked on 131 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:32,679 Speaker 3: infrastructure and climate change, and I've worked in all levels 132 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 3: of government and understanding how sustainability and resilience is really 133 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:40,039 Speaker 3: the biggest threat to New Yorkers and this nation. If 134 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 3: we don't, as New Yorkers and as Americans, practice conservation 135 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:47,839 Speaker 3: efforts in our everyday lives, then this planet that we 136 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 3: all pay rent to. I say, like, you know, our 137 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 3: community service is our rent to the planet that we 138 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 3: live on, and we have to take care of it. 139 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,039 Speaker 3: You know, we have to do small practices in taking 140 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 3: care of it. And I think when it comes to 141 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:02,919 Speaker 3: when I came to the birds, what's good for birds 142 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 3: is good for New Yorkers. You know, when I think 143 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 3: about the birds that are native to New York, like 144 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 3: they are New Yorkers. They have our attitude, they have 145 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 3: our slang, they get cold like us, they hide, you know, 146 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 3: they're out in the summer. You know, they're just like us. 147 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 3: And like birds are such a big part of New York. 148 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 3: You know, they're the accessible form of wildlife and the 149 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 3: easiest way for people to connect with nature, and so 150 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 3: no matter where you live in New York City and 151 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 3: no matter what kind of bird that you see, it 152 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 3: has a story. 153 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 2: Where are the most diverse concentrations of birds Then in 154 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 2: the Five boroughs at the marshes, some. 155 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 3: Of the marshes, there are a few different places, so 156 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 3: we have like Jamaica Bay, we have an endangered species 157 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 3: nests out in the Rockaways in the Edgemy area that 158 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 3: has about seven or eight protected birds from you know, 159 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 3: American oyster catchers to least common turns to piping clovers. 160 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 3: That's actually probably one of the most concentrated urban biodiversity spots. 161 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 3: But we also also do surveys. So we do our 162 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 3: Harbor Heaven Survey that we've been doing for over forty years, 163 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 3: and we go into the islands of New York Harbor 164 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 3: that have huge bird populations on them and count them. 165 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 3: And we've been serving them for over forty years, and 166 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 3: so the research and data we get from that is 167 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 3: unlike any other organization. And we're actually working on taking 168 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 3: some of that research currently to our partners and government 169 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 3: to get some funding and some support for some of 170 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 3: those islands. But New York Harbor is actually because it's 171 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 3: the mouth of New York City, and it's like literally 172 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:35,679 Speaker 3: the crosspath between the harbor, the wetlands forest and all 173 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 3: these other habitats that are so close by and so concentrated. 174 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 3: It really allows for a large array of species to 175 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 3: come and visit and stay and move on. 176 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 2: The average person can actually see a lot of these 177 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 2: through your birding events. What happens at a birding event, 178 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 2: I know a lot most of them are free. Do 179 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 2: I need to know anything when I show up? 180 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 3: So we run over three hundred events a year and 181 00:08:56,160 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 3: something for everybody. We have bilingual events in almost different languages, 182 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 3: and we're trying to expand more. We have accessibility events. 183 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 3: We provide options for everyone. We have events at like, 184 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 3: you know, some of the bigger parks like Central Park 185 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 3: and Prospect Park, but we're also in neighborhood parks and 186 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 3: so a birding event kind of like think of something 187 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 3: close as like meeting up with some friends at like 188 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:19,560 Speaker 3: a park when you were younger. 189 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 2: Well, I was also going to ask who's in the 190 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 2: birding crowd? 191 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 3: You know, it's grown so much since the pandemic. You know, 192 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 3: we're getting people from all ages, all walks of lives. 193 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 3: And the greatest thing, Oh, you don't have to know 194 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,199 Speaker 3: anything about birds. You don't even have to own a 195 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 3: pair of binoculars. You can come to an outing. You 196 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:38,840 Speaker 3: can meet a guide and hang out with us for 197 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 3: an hour and we'll talk to you all about it. 198 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 3: We'll give you a pair of binoculars, we'll give you 199 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 3: some references, and if you're interested, you can come to 200 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,200 Speaker 3: another one. We have a lot of partnerships with other 201 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 3: birding clubs throughout the city as well that we go 202 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 3: and do outreach with. And the nice thing is is 203 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 3: that birding and bird outings are great for community building, 204 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 3: and we're seeing people come together not only to learn 205 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 3: and respect the birds in their community, but to see 206 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 3: what's important in their community and just connect with their 207 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 3: neighbors again. 208 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 2: So one of the ways it's been fun for me 209 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 2: to know what bird I'm seeing is to use the 210 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 2: Merlin bird app, which identifies birds by their song or 211 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 2: an immager location. It's a Cornell Lab database. Are there 212 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 2: other apps or ways you'd recommend to learn more about 213 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 2: the birds? 214 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 3: Marlin is probably the leading one at this time, especially 215 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 3: because it can listen and we do show people on 216 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,440 Speaker 3: our outings how to use Merlin. There's also something called deepbird, 217 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 3: so you can also log which birds that you see 218 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 3: on deepbird in an area. You could also log a 219 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 3: bird that's had a collision on deep bird. But Merlin 220 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 3: is the leading one. But there's also some of our 221 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 3: partner organizations like American Bird Conservancy and National Audubon that 222 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 3: provide guides. And we also provide a Spanish English guide 223 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 3: for all birds that are seen in New York City. 224 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 3: We actually have a printed one that we bring to 225 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:56,199 Speaker 3: some of our outings and have at all of our festivals. 226 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 2: And if you do see an injured bird, whether it's 227 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 2: a collision or for some other reasons, and what do 228 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 2: you do and where do you report it? 229 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, so the best way is to get the birds safe. 230 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:07,960 Speaker 3: Make sure you put it on the side, buy a 231 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:11,319 Speaker 3: bush or like away from the street. If you have 232 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 3: put it in a brown paper bag, and then I 233 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 3: would say contact our partner organization, the wild Bird Fund, 234 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:20,839 Speaker 3: and they will tell you how to transport it over 235 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 3: to them, or they will get somebody to come pick 236 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 3: it up. 237 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 2: This time of year, do the birds that visit the 238 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 2: Five Brows, especially in winter, do they need food or 239 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 2: water from humans? Are we helping them by feeding them 240 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 2: or potentially causing other issues. 241 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 3: So birds don't need to be fed. Birds they can 242 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 3: survive on their own. By feeding them, you're taking them 243 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 3: off what they naturally know how to do and creating adependency, 244 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 3: and so that will deteriorate them from getting their own 245 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:52,440 Speaker 3: food that they normally do. Similar to seagulls. How you 246 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 3: see seagulls come up to people at the beach because 247 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 3: they're used to getting food from them at the beach 248 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 3: or picking up scrapes. And so birds who are here 249 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 3: in the winter know how to get food, know how 250 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 3: to survive. This is not their first time here, and 251 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 3: so this is their natural habitat. And water water is 252 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 3: very similar. But you know, if you're interested in leaving 253 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 3: a bird bath outs side of your building or side 254 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:14,200 Speaker 3: of your window, you're more than welcome to and you 255 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 3: get somebody to stop by and say hi. Every day. 256 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:18,720 Speaker 2: As we wrap up, I was curious if you could 257 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 2: talk about the bird counts that you organize and other 258 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 2: opportunities for volunteering. 259 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, so we have one hundreds events we volunteer for, 260 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 3: from festivals to public outings. But we have many community 261 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:34,680 Speaker 3: science initiatives that I think people would love our Harbor 262 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 3: heir and Survey has been around for forty years where 263 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:39,839 Speaker 3: we go into New York Harbor and learn about all 264 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 3: the different birds and the colonies in the harbor. We 265 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:44,719 Speaker 3: have projects Safe Light that runs in the spring and 266 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 3: the fall and you can see how collisions affect the 267 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:51,560 Speaker 3: city and why, and we have that twice a year. 268 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:54,800 Speaker 3: We also have horseshoe crab monitoring that we do every spring, 269 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:57,719 Speaker 3: and that's that beaches throughout the city. And so take 270 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 3: a look at our events page and gets updated regularly, 271 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 3: and there are spots in there for volunteering for all 272 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 3: different kinds of events. Our bird counts. So our largest 273 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 3: bird count is the Christmas Bird Count. The Christmas Bird 274 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:14,080 Speaker 3: Count was actually founded here in Central Park in nineteen 275 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 3: hundred and has been going till this day. A Christmas 276 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:21,320 Speaker 3: Bird Count actually started only with one volunteer and today 277 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 3: it's at twenty five hundred locations throughout the Western Hemisphere. 278 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 3: It's coordinated by National Audubon and every count is a 279 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 3: part of a network of volunteers. But the tradition has 280 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 3: stretched over one hundred and twenty five years, and so 281 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 3: the count happens usually the Sunday before Christmas, so about 282 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 3: two weekends before Christmas, and New York City Bird Alliance 283 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 3: has hundreds of volunteers to come out to collect the 284 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 3: data that allows and guide to conservation action throughout the nation. 285 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 3: It's been happening for a long time, and we coordinate 286 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 3: Manhattan and Northern New Jersey counts. We have many other 287 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 3: partners and organizations that organize counts on the other parts 288 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 3: of the city and our neigh based. 289 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,719 Speaker 2: New York City Bird Alliance also takes donations. How are 290 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:04,320 Speaker 2: they used? 291 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:07,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, we take our donations and we make sure that 292 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 3: we're doing conservation action, whether it's on the roof, whether 293 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,080 Speaker 3: it's allowing and supporting a building and creating a green 294 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 3: roof and creating more habitat throughout the city, or it's 295 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:21,720 Speaker 3: in the far Rockaways helping build more conservation practice to 296 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 3: get more endangered species. We're in all the five boroughs 297 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 3: getting people to come out and engage with nature again, 298 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 3: get people excited about their community and build community through birds. 299 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 2: Anything else you'd like to add. 300 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 3: Hope see you guys out there this coming spring. And 301 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 3: I know it's cold, but it'll be spring before you 302 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 3: know it. 303 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 2: Siman Mahmoud is representing the New York City Bird Alliance. 304 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 2: You can find out more at Nycbird Alliance dot org. 305 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 2: Thank you for being on to Get Connected. 306 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 3: Thank you for having me. 307 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 1: This has been Get Connected with Nina del Rio on 308 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,880 Speaker 1: one OHO six point seven light Fm. The views and 309 00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views 310 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 1: of the state. If you missed any part of our 311 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 1: show or want to share it, visit our website for 312 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: downloads and podcasts at one O six seven lightfm dot com. 313 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening.