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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Birding is an activity the whole family can enjoy. It’s an activity that can captivate – the more species you see, the more you want to find. And it’s an activity that can help you learn a lot about the natural world around us.
The Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Springfield Conservation Nature Center is looking for birding enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels to take part in its “Big Year” campaign. Learn more about it at the nature center program “Birds: A Kickoff to Your Big Year” on Saturday, Jan. 4, from 1-2:30 p.m. No registration is required for this free event for all ages.
The focus of the nature center’s Big Year campaign is to encourage everyone to learn more about the birds around them. Participants will be encouraged to see how many birds they can identify in a week, a month, or a year. They will learn how to identify birds, how to attract them to backyards and what can be done to help them.
“Big Year” birding efforts – which range from personal challenges to informal competitions among birders to identify as many species as possible – have become popular in recent years. A 2011 movie “The Big Year” starring Jack Black, Owen Wilson, and Steve Martin gave wide renown to these activities along with the book this film was based on – “The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession” published in 2003.
For more information about this program or other upcoming events at the nature center, call 417-888-4237. The Springfield Conservation Nature Center is in southeast Springfield at 4601 S. Nature Center Way. More information about other upcoming events at the nature center or other MDC facilities can be found at mdc.mo.gov/southwestevents.
