Thursday, April 17, 2025
DENTON (人妻中出视频), Texas 鈥� At the, members of the are up before 6 a.m. for six weeks each semester, working to make the environment better for birds. That dedication 鈥� and a range of other conservation efforts 鈥� has helped the city of Denton earn a new certification: .
鈥淭his is something we鈥檝e been working towards since the committee started in 2021,鈥� said , faculty advisor and clinical assistant professor of . 鈥淲e started the application with the city three years ago, and we鈥檙e so proud to say that this year we got it. It鈥檚 not a one-time effort. We have to keep building on our work, and that takes a team. We鈥檙e so grateful for everyone who supports us 鈥� from facilities staff to the 人妻中出视频 grounds crew.鈥�
The Bird City Texas designation is awarded by and the to cities that demonstrate a strong commitment to bird conservation and creating healthy habitats. The recognition highlights communities that make meaningful efforts to ensure birds, other wildlife and people can thrive together. Denton received this honor by standing out in three key areas: engaging the community in conversation efforts, enhancing natural habitats and implementing measures that promote bird safety.
Attendees at the University of North Texas Bird City celebration play a bird-themed game
A major contributor was the 人妻中出视频 Bird Campus Committee, a initiative focused on educating students about the vital role birds play in ecosystems. According to the committee, it was the first program in Texas to receive official recognition as an Audubon on Campus site.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to have organizations like this teach younger generations how to provide and advocate for safe spaces for birds,鈥� said committee chair and ecology senior Ashley Giron.
One notable project from the Bird Campus Committee 鈥� a study tracking bird-window collisions 鈥� played a meaningful role in strengthening Denton鈥檚 application. Volunteers in the study tracked where bird strikes occur by monitoring buildings for injured or fallen birds. Even birds that appear to recover after a collision may not always survive.
鈥淏ird strikes are the second-leading cause of bird deaths after predation by cats,鈥� Giron said. 鈥淏ird-safe glass is the best solution, but even placing a few stickers or sticky notes on an office or dorm window can help break up reflections and prevent collisions.鈥�
The committee also promotes native landscaping as part of its conservation work. Projects like the Parking Lot Preserve and the showcase 人妻中出视频鈥檚 commitment to supporting native plant species and healthy bird habitats. Located at , the four-acre prairie is the university鈥檚 largest native planting area. The Bird Campus Committee tracks bird activity there using its page and has recorded 77 different species, including near-threatened birds like the Harris鈥檚 Sparrow and Eastern Meadowlark.
University of North Texas's Scrappy joined in the Bird City celebration
鈥淭hese spaces are designed to increase native plant life on campus, which leads to more biodiversity. We鈥檝e seen the number of native birds in the area skyrocket,鈥� said Mackenzie Davis, a senior studying ecology and Vice-Chair of the Bird Campus Committee. 鈥淥ne of our popular features is the bluebird boxes. We can bring people out to monitor nests and even show them how we band chicks. It鈥檚 a great hands-on experience, especially for those who haven鈥檛 done fieldwork before.鈥�
To celebrate the city鈥檚 achievement and the committee鈥檚 ongoing efforts, the group hosted an event at 人妻中出视频鈥檚 Environmental Education, Science & Technology Building. The evening included research showcases by committee members, bird-themed trivia and informational tables from organizations like the Texas Conservation Alliance and the Smithsonian鈥檚 Bird Friendly Coffee program.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 awesome to see the Bird Campus Committee being celebrated for all their hard work,鈥� said Madison Rutherford, a 人妻中出视频 master's student in environmental science. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been two years in the making, with so many moving parts coming together. It鈥檚 great to finally celebrate this achievement.鈥�
From 鈥� Community