INFORMATION FOR NEW AND PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS
Founded in 1917, Bird Protection Quebec (BPQ) is one of North America’s oldest bird conservation charities. We offer activities as well as educational and conservation programmes for the general public in Quebec. In addition, BPQ acquires and maintains bird sanctuaries and actively supports bird protection and habitat conservation. We also fund ornithological research or related projects through our yearly grants program. All of our work is made possible through membership fees and donations.
Birdwatching – or “Birding” – can be enjoyed by people of all ages, almost anywhere: backyards, urban parks, the local countryside, and further afield. Your Bird Protection Quebec membership will introduce you to new friends and new places, and you can enjoy this activity wherever you go, even in spare moments on business trips!
To enjoy excursions, comfortable (and sometimes waterproof) clothing and footwear are essential. Removable layers are usually the most practical. Bird walks are in dry and wet woods, marshes and overgrown fields. Cold, wet feet and clothing can really spoil one’s enjoyment. Rubber boots are often necessary and sturdy, warm boots are essential in winter. In summer, bug repellant is recommended.
To enjoy excursions, comfortable (and sometimes waterproof) clothing and footwear are essential. Removable layers are usually the most practical. Bird walks are in dry and wet woods, marshes and overgrown fields. Cold, wet feet and clothing can really spoil one’s enjoyment. Rubber boots are often necessary and sturdy, warm boots are essential in winter. In summer, bug repellant is recommended.
Binoculars are, of course, essential, as is a checklist of birds and standard field guide, such as:
- List of the Birds of Montreal (bilingual English/French – available for purchase at our monthly meetings)
- Peterson’s A Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern and Central North America
- National Geographic Society A Field Guide to the Birds of North America
- Stokes’ Field Guide to Birds (Eastern Region) – provides current status information for species.
- The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America
- Oiseaux du Québec et des Maritimes, J. Paquin and G. Caron, French text, but bird names are also indexed in English
Many of these field guides are available for download to your mobile phone or tablet, and some – notably the Audubon Field Guide – are even free.
Three other very useful books are:
- Birdfinding in the Montreal Area by Pierre Bannon (published by Bird Protection Quebec and the Centre de conservation de la faune ailée de Montréal and available in French and English editions)
- Les meilleurs sites d’observation des oiseaux au Québec by Normand David (French only)
- Guide des sites d’observation des oiseaux du Québec by Jean-Pierre Pratte (French only)
In addition to these books, the BPQ field trip committee has put together an excellent pdf booklet that lists the top 100 birding locations around Montreal and throughout the province, available for free on our website.
Published five times each year and emailed to all members, The Song Sparrow provides details of all Bird Protection Quebec activities and is a good source of information concerning local birds and birding events. It contains a column on all the noteworthy sightings in the Montreal area as well as reports of the regular field trips.
Bird Protection Quebec maintains an open Facebook page
You can find us at https://www.facebook.com/Bird-Protection-Quebec- 104138749621401/ Because it is an open page you can access it whether or not you are a Facebook member. ou’ll find links to current bird events, reports on recent field trips, studies and more. You may also post your photos or comments.
Join our Song Sparrow Groups.io discussion forum, it’s free and easy to sign up!
- exchange information about birds and birding
- keep in touch with other members
- hear about the latest rare bird sightings
- find out about new birding hotspots
- get details about upcoming events
- see field trip reports and more
Sign up on the Groups.io platform https://groups.io/g/bpqsongsparrow
Field trips: Bird Protection Quebec holds field trips throughout the year. Most take place on Saturday mornings and are finished by noon, although during spring and fall migration they occasionally go longer. The trips include short early morning and evening walks during the week in Westmount’s Summit Park and other local locations during the exciting weeks of spring migration, as well as the regular Saturday trips to good birding spots further afield. Field trip leaders and other experienced birders are always ready to help with identification problems.
Monthly Lectures: From October through May, Bird Protection Quebec holds monthly lectures at the Knox Crescent Kensington and First Presbyterian Church, 6225 Godfrey Avenue, NDG (between Grand Boulevard and Kensington Avenue, 1 ½ blocks north of Sherbrooke). The lectures are open to all without charge. Details are provided in the Song Sparrow Newsletter and on our website. They cover a wide range of topics of interest to birders and nature lovers. Lecturers may be biologists from the Canadian Wildlife Service, professional ornithologists, conservation organization officers, or Bird Protection Quebec members. One thing unites them all: a love of birds which is communicated with enthusiasm and expertise (and usually illustrated with superb slides). A bilingual checklist of Montreal area birds, printed on card, is available for purchase at monthly meetings, as well as bird-friendly coffee and other items. In addition to benefiting from the expertise of our monthly lecturers, these monthly get-togethers are a great opportunity to meet and chat with others who share a passion for birds and nature in general.
Christmas Bird Counts: Bird Protection Quebec members take an active part in Audubon/Bird Studies Canada’s Christmas Bird Count, in common with birders all over North and Central America, organizing counts for both Montreal and Hudson. 2018 marked the 119th year of this event!