~wildlife education~ Photo credit: istock.com/TOLGA DOGAN Birds migrate to avoid the hardships of cold weather, and to seek food in warmer regions. They prepare for their long trek by accumulating fat to provide fuel for the lengthy flight. During an overwater migration, they can lose a quarter to one-half of their body weight. Most long-distance migrants, especially smaller birds, fly at night. They may travel continuously or land daily around sunrise to rest and forage.

~wildlife education~ Photo credit: istock.com/ CarrieCaptured They may have lovely soft fur and be cute and cuddly when they feel like it, but cats have been largely responsible for the extinction of 33 bird species over many centuries. Scientists estimate that free-roaming cats kill hundreds of millions of birds, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians each year, including endangered species. Cats are particularly deadly for birds. Even well fed, pampered cats will hunt an

~wildlife education~ Nesting season on Vancouver Island begins mid-March and extends through mid-September. Clearing trees or other vegetation or draining or flooding land for development, particularly if undertaken during nesting season, can harm migratory and native birds, their nests or eggs, resulting in long-term negative effects on bird populations. Photo credit: istock.com/Simon002 Before starting any clearing activity that may affect bird nests, buffer zones should be