Founded in 1923, the Iowa Ornithologists’ Union (IOU) has endured for a century as one of Iowa’s most prominent organizations dedicated to avian wildlife. Through organizing field trips to participating in the Christmas Bird Count to partnerships with the Iowa Audubon and Iowa Young Birders, the IOU wants people to care about birds.
“I’m not saying you need to be a hardcore birdwatcher or even watch birds at all,” current IOU President Tyler Harms said via email. “But I do encourage folks to notice birds. Care about birds. Recognize the role that birds play in our natural world.”
With a membership of approximately 400 Iowans, the IOU’s mission is to encourage interest in the identification, study and protection of birds, as well as to unite bird lovers, collect and preserve knowledge on Iowa’s feathered population.
The IOU also provides funding for natural history projects, be it research, habitat restoration or land acquisition. In the last few years the IOU funded projects like the construction of new outdoor aviaries at Iowa Bird Rehabilitation in Des Moines, and nesting pads to observe and survey nighthawks in Grinnell, as well as a grant to study effects of the August 2020 derecho on breeding birds in Palisades-Kepler State Park.
A treasure trove of valuable information, the IOU website features birding guides, checklists for Iowa birds, breeding atlases, rare bird sighting information, Iowa birding hotspots by county, an archive of Iowa bird species and digitized back issues of Iowa Bird Life, the IOU’s quarterly journal.
Many members, including Harms, point to Iowa Bird Life as one of the IOU’s most significant accomplishments. Published annually since the org’s start, Iowa Bird Life includes scientific and special-interest articles, contributed photos and seasonal field reports of notable sightings from across the state.
“Except for the layout and printing, every part of publishing the journal, including the writing and editing, has been done by volunteers since 1931,” Harms said. “That is a monumental accomplishment, in my opinion, and demonstrates the passion and commitment of our members who have helped make it happen over the years.”
In addition to the study and collection of data, the IOU recognizes the importance of nesting a community around birds, from casual admirers to avid birders. While some members are degree-holding scientists, the IOU website points out “the vast majority of our members are ‘ornithologists’ in the broader sense only — amateur birders who are passionate about the wild birds of Iowa.”
Groups like the IOU help to build networks of birders, connecting folks online and IRL, sharing sightings, tips and information. Local bird clubs and other conservation organizations often offer free bird walks or other bird-centric events like lectures and festivals. It’s almost impossible to not learn something while birding with others; more birders means more eyes, more ears and more knowledge.
While birding provides a social outlet for some, others prefer to go it alone and immerse themselves in the peaceful solitude of nature, which has its own benefits. “Evidence is there to support the conclusion that contact with nature benefits our mood, our psychological well-being, our mental health, and our cognitive functioning,” University of Washington environmental psychologist Gregory Bratman wrote in an article for Audubon.org.
We are perhaps more disconnected from the natural world than we have ever been, and birding is a really simple but satisfying way to get reacquainted with nature. It is an activity that invites stillness, patience, quiet and connection. It requires communion with the environment, which can be grounding and centering.
Birding rouses our curiosity. It engages our senses and stimulates our brains. We begin to remember the names and habits of different birds, to recognize songs and calls, to observe their movement and flight. It requires that we sharpen our awareness and develop an ability to hone in on the tiniest details.
After a while, a birder starts paying attention to more than just the birds themselves. The simple activity of birding can connect us with nature on a much broader, ecological scale.
The basics of birding
Fortunately, birding is one of the easiest recreational activities to get into. It’s accessible to many and relatively inexpensive, because birds are literally everywhere — all we have to do is begin to notice them. Look! There’s a black-capped chickadee right now.
There is no “right” way to observe birds, nor are there any gear or training requirements. (That said, a decent pair of binoculars is certainly helpful.) Some birders prefer to trek into the field prepared to collect data using professional-grade equipment while others are content to appreciate what goes on in their own backyard.
Whatever your birding style, be respectful: of the land/environment, of other birders and, of course, of the birds. Check local thrift shops for optics like scopes or binoculars and hit the trails. Or, put out a bird feeder, grab a guide (this author recommends Stan Tekiela’s Birds of Iowa and/or The Kaufman Field Guide to Nature of the Midwest) and start identifying who shows up. That’s it; that’s birding.
Locate birding hotspots in your area, which may vary depending on the time of year. Get to know Iowa’s songbirds, raptors, shorebirds and waterfowl. Learn to identify our frequent fliers by sight and sound. Take note of their habits, movement and behavior — recording your observations helps to identify patterns. Being able to recognize the regulars makes it easier to notice when something unusual or unexpected shows up, which can be exhilarating. Have you ever spotted an elusive pileated woodpecker? It is a RUSH.
Notice which birds do or don’t appear each season. Hundreds of birds in Iowa are common year-round residents while others occur only during seasonal migration. Iowa lies within the Mississippi Flyway migratory route, which sees thousands of seasonal visitors from massive pods of pelicans to colorful warblers to the occasional snowy owl. Understanding migration patterns and behavior leads to an understanding of how our larger seasonal cycles affect birding, and birds themselves.
Once a birder starts noticing birds they don’t really stop, which is beneficial to both parties.
“I think our birds suffer from lack of awareness, or lack of being seen,” Harms said. “Some may argue [with] this because birdwatching has increased in popularity as an outdoor recreation activity in recent years. However, I don’t believe this increase in awareness and popularity is sufficiently matching the rate of loss our birds are facing. To make a difference, to reverse nearly across-the-board population declines in our birds, we need many more people to notice and care about our birds.”
When asked what he views as some of the most prominent challenges currently facing Iowa birds and their habitats, Harms replied, “Where do I start? Our birds navigate myriad challenges each year, many of which are caused by people. Habitat loss and degradation has been and continues to be a major threat to birds and other wildlife in Iowa and across North America. For birds to find a safe place to nest or to stop to refuel along a migratory journey is an increasingly challenging feat.”
Being a bird is difficult. Most wild birds face an almost 70 percent mortality rate in their first year of life alone. Many are vulnerable to predators in the wild but we, humans, are their greatest threat.
“If you want to do a bit more, consider planting native plants in your yard. Volunteer for or contribute financially to a local nature center or conservation nonprofit to help raise awareness and support for bird conservation,” Harms advised. “But perhaps most important — help others care about birds. Tell them about your favorite bird, about what birds mean to you, and how caring about birds not only helps the birds, but it helps us too.”
This article was originally published in Little Village’s April 2024 issue.
