Cats and Birds | Research Projects

Bird populations are plummeting across North America. Since 1970, the continent has lost nearly 3 billion birds (Rosenberg, 2019). Two of the biggest drivers of this decline are habitat loss and cat-related mortality. Cities like Vancouver have begun to address these threats through the creation of city-specific guidelines to support biodiversity, such as the Vancouver Bird Strategy. To make these strategies most effective, we require up-to-date estimates of urban bird and cat populations thriving within city boundaries.

Stewardship Centre for BC initiated two research projects to collect on-the-ground information about outdoor cats and birds: in Greater Vancouver (2020) and in Okanagan (2022). Researchers use standardized methodology and computer models to produce population estimates and inform management plans for keeping cats and birds safe in British Columbia.