National Bird Day and Year of the Bird

January 5 is National Bird Day and 2018 is the Year of the Bird. To celebrate, why not explore birding tips for your backyard or local national wildlife refuge? You can also discover the economic benefits associated with birds, birdwatchers, and other wildlife enthusiasts in the United States, which infuse billions of dollars annually into the economy and support hundreds of thousands of jobs. Consider brushing up on your waterfowl identification skills for your next hunting trip, nature hike, or boating excursion. Lastly, find out how purchasing Federal Duck Stamps advances wetland habitat conservation across the United States, with 98 cents of every dollar supporting the National Wildlife Refuge System. Join the conversation all year long by using the hashtags #BirdYourWorld and #YearOfTheBird on social media!

Bird Beats and Musical Melodies Support Wildlife Conservation

Song + Landscape = Songscape at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Utah

Ring in the New Year by listening to indie rock artist Conner Youngblood’s new song and music video inspired by his recent visit to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Utah. 

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is located along the Pacific Flyway, a migratory bird route akin to a highway in the sky. It provides vital wetland habitat for millions of migratory and resident birds. Over 270 bird species have been recorded on and around the refuge. 

You can also check out a behind-the-scenes look at the refuge’s new song and the music artist’s creative process in the January 2018 cover story for Southwest: The Magazine. 

Did You Know?

Conservation Cartoonist Kent Olson’s Legacy With a heavy heart, we mourn the recent passing of retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee Kent Olson. Kent served the American public as a field biologist working on wetland conservation in the Prairie Pothole Region, a habitat known as America’s “Duck Factory” because it produces over half of the waterfowl in the United States.  Kent will be most ardently remembered, however, for his charming cartoon illustrations, which engaged audiences for over 50 years with topics related to wildlife conservation. One of his iconic cartoon characters was Paddy O’Mallard, a magnanimous mallard duck.  Kent will be missed, yet his endearing conservation legacy lives on. Learn more about Kent’s life and career at https://www.paddyomallard.com/. Photo: A “last cartoon” drawn by conservation artist Kent Olson over a decade ago.