Bird Team Spotlight: Windsor, ON
At first glance, Windsor, Ontario might not be seen as an overtly environmentally-focused city due to its historical automotive industry roots but Pelee Island Bird Observatory (PIBO) and the Windsor Bird Team are changing that narrative for the better as they join a variety of other Canadian cities in the process of becoming certified Bird Friendly Cities.
In partnership with Pelee Island Bird Observatory, St. Clair College, the University of Windsor, the City of Windsor and others, the Windsor Bird team is working hard to reduce the threats birds in Windsor face as well as advocating to protect and restore their natural habitat. Led by PIBO’s Executive Director, Suzanne Friemann, and PIBO’s Urban Bird Educator, Jennifer Nantais, the Windsor Bird Team is hard at work to become one of Canada’s next Bird Friendly Cities.
The Windsor Bird Team has participated in Global Bird Rescue Week, tallying a total of 15 deceased birds in their area and tracking them on the Global Bird Collision Mapper. Windsor’s efforts provide invaluable education and awareness campaigns to children, youth, experienced birders and everyone in between! Some of their community campaigns include bird themed art contests, bird photography contests, and birding location checklists. PIBO and the Windsor Bird Team also run various Citizen Science projects in Windsor Essex County such as Project FeederWatch to ensure winter bird habitat management, The Great Canadian Birdathon and the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas.
Being based on Pelee Island provides a very unique opportunity to study and educate their community about the migratory birds around them. Pelee Island Bird Observatory also operates a field station at Fish Point Provincial Nature Reserve that is open to the public in the spring and fall.
If you are interested in getting involved with the Windsor Bird Team or just learning more about their efforts, please follow them on Twitter and check out their website for more information.
Get to know the Windsor Bird Team below and see some of their outreach and advocacy in action!
Suzanne Friemann – PIBO Executive Director
Born in British Columbia to Guyanese and French Canadian parents, nature has always been at the center of my life. From bird watching to growing gardens, my love of the natural world is something that defines me. My roundabout career has allowed me to pursue my passions-environmental change, the arts, health and wellbeing and great food! My present role at PIBO encompasses many different aspects and no two days are alike. What I enjoy most is witnessing a real difference in bird conservation from our research and education programs.
Jennifer Nantais – PIBO Urban Bird Educator
Jennifer grew up in Windsor, and her love of nature has enabled her to study, appreciate and share the incredible diversity of habitats and species that can be found throughout the city and Essex County. Through work with the City of Windsor and the Essex Region Conservation Authority, she has spent many years sharing her knowledge and experience with students, residents, and visitors from around the world.
Her role with Pelee Island Bird Observatory provides an opportunity to collaborate with local partners, corporations, and organizations to recognize contributions that our community is making to help birds survive and thrive and work toward a sustainable future for humans and wildlife. Jennifer is an executive member of the Essex County Field Naturalists Club, a regional coordinator for the Marsh Monitoring Program with Birds Canada, and a local Butterfly Ranger with the David Suzuki Foundation.
Keira McManus – Education Assistant
Keira’s role on Windsor’s team is to educate the public on how they can help mitigate threats to birds. When she is not working towards making Windsor a bird-friendly city, she is working in the natural areas of Windsor as a Park Ranger for Ontario Parks. Her admiration for Windsor’s diversity of birds and other wildlife is why she loves maintaining these critical habitats and surveying for species at risk. While working as a Guide for the Ojibway Nature Centre she has had the chance to share her knowledge with people of all ages.
Keira will be returning to University in September for her second year of Environmental Studies at the University of Waterloo to further her understanding of today’s environmental issues and pursue her passion for conservation.
