‘Bird Friendly’ status awarded to Uxbridge by Nature Canada

While bird watching is a fine pastime, Uxbridge would rather be known as a bird ‘protecter’ and Nature Canada agrees, proclaiming the township a ‘Bird Friendly’ city, one of four new certifications awarded in Ontario this year.

Canada’s oldest national nature conservation society announced Uxbridge’s certification earlier this week, recognizing the efforts made by the ‘Bird Team,’ as well as municipal staff and council and the local community to “preserve and protect” Uxbridge’s bird population.

“This recognition highlights our commitment to preserving bird species and their habitats,” said Uxbridge Mayor Dave Barton, who cited the creation of the Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park this summer as another example of the township’s commit to conservation.

“Becoming a Bird Friendly City not only supports conservation, it also enhances the quality of life for our residents and for visitors, all of whom cherish these connections to nature.”

Barton said the certification was a “testament” to the efforts of Uxbridge’s Bird Team, a feeling shared by councillor Gordon Shreeve.

“I know the Team worked very hard for this,” Shreeve said. “It’s just terrific news.”

Nature Canada’s requirements for ‘Bird Friendly’ status are quite specific. The community must be a place where key threats to birds are effectively mitigated and where nature is restored so native bird populations can thrive. Residents also have to get involved to actively monitor those populations. As well, municipal policies must protect avian populations, with a Bird Team leading those initiatives.

“We’re not a bird-watching group,” Bird Team leader Carly Davenport explained. “We focus on birds because they’re a good overall indicator of ecosystem health. When we see birds declining at this rate, it’s our warning that urgent conservation action is needed.”

She cited the case of grassland birds like Eastern Meadowlarks and Bobolinks, which breed in Uxbridge Township and are listed as threatened in Ontario.

“Our work extends beyond just protecting birds to benefit the environmental health of our community. It makes Uxbridge a more sustainable place to live.”

The Bird Team was formed in January and introduced itself to residents through appearances at the Uxbridge Farmers’ Market, Claremont Native Plants and the Durham Climate Roundtable Fall Forum. At all these events the group highlighted the role of native plants in the survival of bird populations, and detailed ways to reduce threats like window collisions and cat predation.

The Bird Team also promoted ‘Lights out Uxbridge’ in the spring and fall – a campaign to eliminate unnecessary exterior lighting that can fatally confuse migrating birds – and installed ‘bird-safe’ murals at local libraries.

Davenport expressed hope that the township’s new official status will spur people here to live up to the title.

“It was hard-won,” she said, “even at the entry level. And it won’t necessarily be easy to keep. Nature Canada will want Uxbridge to commit to its birds on an ongoing basis, and that’s our goal. Certification feels great, but seeing biodiversity thrive here would feel even better.”

Other new Bird Friendly Cities in Ontario include Kitchener, Sarnia and Cornwall. Renewals were also granted to Halton Hills, Guelph and Peterborough and two other Canadian cities, bringing the total number of communities that have been certified to 30.

The certifications underscore the importance of a national movement towards bird safety in built environments and celebrate the efforts to reducing threats to bird populations, such as window collisions, cat predation and habitat loss, while fostering public participation through conservation education and bird-safe policy engagement.