From Checklists to Conservation: A Shared Effort

Black-legged Kittiwake resting on coastal cliffs at one of our PatchBird survey sites in Scotland. Regular surveys here help monitor the status of declining seabird populations. © Gyorgy Szimuly

Over the past few months, I’ve been pouring much of my time into building The Ornithologist – a new online magazine dedicated to birds, science communication, and conservation stories from around the world. It’s been an exciting and demanding journey, but one eye has always remained on the PatchBird Initiative. And more importantly, on you – our incredible network of surveyors.

I want to take a moment to thank every single one of you for your continued support, passion, and participation. Whether you’ve contributed one checklist or one hundred, each data point brings us closer to building a meaningful foundation for long-term bird conservation, especially in underbirded regions.

Even with the magazine launch in full swing, I’ve been actively contributing on the ground. During this field season alone, I’ve submitted hundreds of PatchBird-style checklists – sometimes while traveling, sometimes near home, and always with the intention of pushing our dataset further.

I’m also pleased to share that PatchBird has now been featured in The Ornithologist! The article explores how the initiative is creating a valuable grassroots dataset that blends simplicity with scientific value. It highlights our collective efforts and shows how small, consistent contributions can support big-picture conservation goals.

Read the article here: Patch by Patch: Birders Are Building a Grassroots Conservation Dataset

Thank you again for being part of this journey. We’re building something special – together.