Saving bird lives starts with local action!

In the last 50 years, North American bird populations have dropped by more than 25%. Birds face many dangers in our cities and towns, like being caught by house cats, flying into windows, or getting hit by cars. These are all dangers we can help prevent.

A Bird Friendly City is a community where threats to birds are reduced, nature is restored so native bird populations can thrive, residents are actively engaged in admiring and monitoring local bird populations, and organizations host events to protect birds. When a city gets certified as Bird Friendly, it means they've met important standards to keep birds safe. Certification is a badge of honour and a source of community pride. It tells the world that our city helps birds and is doing its part to stop them from disappearing. Since 2023, Bird Friendly Kawartha Lakes has been working with Nature Canada and the City of Kawartha Lakes to become a certified Bird Friendly City. Now we need your help deciding on our 2024 City Bird of the Year. Vote today for the bird you want to learn more about and see represent Kawartha Lakes!

There will be two rounds of voting. The first round will close on Migratory Bird Day, May 11, 2024. The top five birds will move on to the second round of voting, which will close on June 28.

During the second round of voting, the Bird Friendly Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes social media accounts will feature fun facts about each of the five birds and why they're important to our community. We can all get to know our feathered friends better, by learning unique facts like:

• How to identify each bird among similar-looking species
• How to identify each bird by sound, nest and eggs
• The history and best habitat for each bird
• The main threats to each bird species and ways we can reverse them

The official "Bird of the Year", as voted by you, will be revealed on June 30. Stay tuned, get involved and let's celebrate the amazing diversity of wildlife in Kawartha Lakes!