VT researcher explores how to make bird observation program more welcoming

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A new study by the team of Ashley Dayer, a Virginia Tech professor, explores how to make Project FeederWatch, one of North America's largest observation programs, welcoming to all who enjoy feeding and watching birds.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada run Project FeederWatch. Through the program, thousands of participants across the U.S. and Canada can report bird activity in their backyards at their own convenience, connecting them with nature while contributing to bird population data.

Despite its popularity, a Virginia Tech spokesperson noted that FeederWatch tends to attract a relatively narrow audience. Dayer and postdoctoral researcher Kelley Langhans lead a study alongside colleagues from other universities to understand how FeederWatch could better reflect the larger community of people who feed birds.

A bird picks seeds out of the snow in a feeder tray, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, in Olympia, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

"Participatory science has been a great success for research," Dayer said. "We know more about birds and ecosystems because of public contributions. But not everyone feels these projects are designed for them, which limits their benefits and creates data gaps. Our goal was to identify ways to change that."

The study recommends that FeederWatch collaborate with community organizations, develop educational resources to support participants' learning, and show participants how their data support conservation.

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Langhans and Virginia Tech graduate students, including co-author Chris Blume, hosted online focus groups with people who already feed birds but don’t participate in FeederWatch. With help from organizations that promote welcoming outdoor spaces, the team reportedly explored opportunities and challenges to making the project more inclusive.

Although the program's flexible structure appeals to many, allowing participants to log birds on their own time, a few possible barriers some focus group participants noted included an annual fee, the need for adaptive technology, or materials in additional languages.

"When we think about growing participation, it’s about designing the project to be welcoming to everyone," Langhans said. "Adjustments such as waiving fees, creating user-friendly digital tools, and increasing representation in staff and materials can open the door to a wider range of participants."

Dayer and Langhans are sharing their findings with participatory science programs nationwide through their partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

The team hopes their recommendations will guide future changes that make science more welcoming, flexible and relevant to people’s lives.

"When everyone has the chance to participate," Langhans said, "science truly becomes a shared endeavor. That’s how we all learn more about our world."

For more information about FeederWatch, visit the project's website.