November 16, 2007

Bird Databases Galore

Many people have learned to love birds.  If you are one of them or simply want to further understand these wonderful creatures, you may look into several bird databases available online.

Avibase is one type of these databases.  It is very extensive and tackles almost all types of birds in the world.  It boasts of around 2 million records of 10,000 species of birds.  It can even go into detail such as the subspecies.

Examples of information that you can gather from Avibase are taxonomy, synonyms in various languages of the world, and some information on how the birds are distributed in different locations.  These contents and many others were derived from more than 12 years of study.  This specific database is hosted by Bird Studies Canada which is the Canadian copartner of Birdlife International.

Birdlife has really been dedicated to provide more information about birds.  It has also developed the World Bird Database (WBDB) where data from research and studies are constantly added and/or updated.  It began in 1994 and has significantly expanded through the years. 

The World Bird Database makes information management easier and provides several other tools that are capable of analyzing and making scientific reports.  It really is dedicated to the expansion of knowledge about birds whether it is just about the species, bird areas, endemic birds, and many other topics. 

Generally, bird databases are very easy to use.  You just have to enter a bird name, in any language, and the database will be able to generate information about it.  In most cases, you can break down your search if you have further details on what you want to research.  Downloads are also possible. 

Moreover, some bird databases are not just sources of scientific and technical information but are also sources of information about advocacy work that has to do with the protection of birds.  So if you want to join a worthy cause for the protection of birds but do not know where to go, you might want to consult one or more of these databases. 

On the other hand, if you have some observations to share about birds, some bird databases have links that welcome these as well.  You can help various bird societies in their research and studies with your valuable observations.

The presence of all these information tools further proves how valuable birds are.  Undoubtedly, they deserve attention and proper care.  The dissemination of proper information will certainly benefit them. 

Filed under Bird Watching, News by