The Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas is a state-wide, cooperative effort that relies on birder participation to document the distribution and abundance of breeding birds in Ohio. The project provide an exciting way to learn more about the birds of Ohio while contributing valuable information for bird conservation in our state.
Ohio contains an amazing amount of avian diversity, so a main goal of the atlas is to document this diversity. Although this second atlas (running from 2006 – 2010) will be similar in many ways to Ohio’s first atlas (1982-1987), there are many additions thanks to new technologies. Meanwhile, you have plenty of opportunities to participate, whether you want to venture into more remote parts of the state or just survey birds in your own backyard
Participating in the Atlas is easy! Volunteer birders simply search for any and all bird species within Atlas blocks or “survey territories” — or better yet, find evidence that confirms nesting, such as adults carrying food or actual fledgling birds. Results can be reported easily online through the data entry site developed by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.
Many birders across Ohio have participated in the OBBA2 project already. But this is a multi-year project, so there’s still plenty of time to join in the fun. To find out how you can join them, check out the Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas Web site. You can contact the Atlas Coordinator by email or by phone (614.247.6458). They would be more than willing to help you get set up with volunteer materials or help direct you to areas of the state that need survey help.
