Project NestWatch

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Cornell University, in collaboration with Seavoss Associates, Inc. and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), is requesting funding to support two citizen science projects and related research. "Project Nestwatch" will include "Virtual Nestwatch," an online exhibit and data collection project that enables individuals to participate in data collection from their home computers. "National Nest Registry," the second project, is field-based and focused on species that participants may find in their backyard or local community. A subset of the National Nestwatch participants will engage in team-based observations supported by ornithologists from the Smithsonian Institution as part of SERCs Neighborhood Nestwatch program. Finally, a quasi-experimental research component will examine the effectiveness of virtual field-based and guided field-based participation exemplified in the Virtual and National Nestwatch projects. The research component will include 100 subjects per treatment. The impacts are identified as increasing public understanding of bird biology, ecology, life cycles, environmental issues and the research process while encouraging careers in science. It is also anticipated that this project will create collaborative online learning communities. The strategic impacts include the development and testing of a new online citizen science model and the resulting research and evaluation findings. Deliverables include ten online exhibits in real-time, a stored repertoire of over 50 archived Nest Box Cam attempts or data sets, online instructions and tutorials, and a data entry system. SERCs Neighborhood Nestwatch participants will work directly with scientists to capture, measure, color-band and record data on such common species as house finches, American robins, phoebes, cardinals, bluebirds, tree swallows and wrens. It is estimated that this project will reach over 45,000 individuals through on-line, independent field-based and mentored experiences.