A significant amount of avian research and monitoring has been conducted in Maryland for many years, but there has been limited coordination for these efforts. The mission of the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership (MBCP) is to provide a unifying point of focus for bird conservation, research, and monitoring. MBCP is facilitating the creation of a state-wide network of bird banding and education centers throughout the state. The goal of the Maryland Bird Observatory Network is to facilitate communication among various centers, coordinate regional and state-wide research and monitoring priorities, and promote partnerships between these Centers and the university research community. The Network will ultimately have centers located within the Eastern Shore, Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and Appalachian Mountains physiographic regions. The approach would identify and address priority research and monitoring needs of the conservation community throughout Maryland.

Principal functions of the Maryland Bird Observatory Network include:

  • Supporting the constituent Centers by identifying research and monitoring priorities, and providing a central point of communication for these efforts;

  • Promoting the conservation of bird populations and their habitats in the State of Maryland and beyond;

  • Fostering a better understanding of the changes in bird populations and habitats to inform decision-makers and to enable good stewardship on public and private lands; and,

  • Inspiring the appreciation, enjoyment, and conservation of birds and their habitats through education and outreach.

 

Bird Banding Operations and Education Centers in the Maryland Bird Observatory Network: