16 Jan Why January is Important for Bird Conservation
Most people think bird conservation happens in spring and summer, when birds are nesting, raising chicks, and filling our mornings with song. But some of the most critical conservation work happens in winter, when the landscape seems quiet and still.
January might feel like the off-season, but for conservationists, it’s game time.
Here’s why this month matters so much for birds and what you can do to help right now.
Nest Boxes: The March Deadline Starts Now
American kestrels begin searching for nesting sites in late February and early March. By the time you see them displaying near cavities and calling to potential mates, they’ve already made their territory decisions.
That means nest boxes must be installed in January and early February. Wait until March, and it’s too late for that breeding season.
This is why our American Kestrel Monitoring Project is recruiting landowners and volunteers right now. We’re not preparing for some distant future. We’re preparing for breeding season that starts in just weeks.
Every nest box installed this month is a potential home for a kestrel pair. Every landowner who commits now creates habitat that didn’t exist before. Every volunteer trained in January is ready to collect data when eggs start appearing in March.
The window is short. The impact is immediate.
Winter Surveys: Counting Birds When It Matters
January is prime time for winter bird surveys. The Christmas Bird Count, one of the longest-running citizen science projects in the world, happens every December and January. Volunteers across North America head into the field to count every bird they see and hear.
This isn’t just a fun winter activity. It’s critical data.
Winter counts tell us which species are declining, which populations are shifting north or south due to climate change, and which habitats are supporting healthy bird communities during the leanest months of the year.
Waterfowl surveys happen now too. Ducks, geese, and other waterbirds concentrate at wetlands and coastal sites during winter, making January the best time to assess population health.
Every data point collected in winter informs conservation decisions for the rest of the year.
Behind the Scenes: Conservation Planning Season
While you might not see researchers in the field as often in winter, they’re working behind the scenes.
January is when last year’s data gets analyzed. Breeding success rates from spring and summer. Migration patterns from fall. Survival rates calculated from banded birds. All of that information comes together in winter, when scientists have time to sit down, crunch numbers, and figure out what worked and what didn’t.
It’s also when field seasons get planned. Which sites need more nest boxes? Where should volunteers focus monitoring efforts? What new technologies (like Motus tracking) should we deploy, and where?
Conservation isn’t just fieldwork. It’s strategy. And strategy happens in winter.
At Avian Behavior Conservancy, we’re doing exactly that right now. We’re analyzing data from our pilot kestrel monitoring season, planning our 2026 field work at the Salton Sea, and coordinating with partners like the Golden State Kestrel Research Network to make sure our efforts align with broader conservation goals.
Habitat Restoration: Planting the Future
Native plant restoration projects start planning in winter too. You can’t just throw native seeds in the ground and hope for the best. You need to assess soil, plan species selection, coordinate volunteers, and source plants from nurseries.
That planning happens now, so that when spring arrives and planting conditions are ideal, everything is ready to go.
Native plants matter for birds. They support the insects birds rely on for food. They provide nesting sites and cover. They create the habitat structure birds need to thrive.
Every native garden planted this spring starts as a winter plan.
Volunteer Recruitment: Training Before the Rush
Conservation organizations need volunteers trained and ready before breeding season hits. You can’t recruit and train monitors in April when birds are already nesting. You need people committed and prepared in January.
That’s why we’re recruiting kestrel monitoring volunteers now. By the time breeding season starts, our volunteers will know protocols, understand what to look for, and be ready to collect data that actually helps scientists make informed decisions.
If you’ve ever thought about getting involved in conservation, winter is the time to do it. Organizations are recruiting. Training is happening. The slow season is when you build the foundation for the busy season ahead.
Your Role: What You Can Do Right Now
January isn’t just important for professional conservationists. It’s important for everyone who cares about birds.
Here’s how you can be part of winter conservation work:
Host a kestrel nest box. If you have grassland or agricultural property in San Diego or Riverside County, you can provide critical nesting habitat. Contact us at info@avian-behavior.org.
Volunteer as a nest box monitor. Help us collect breeding data throughout the season. No experience necessary—we’ll train you. [Sign up here]
Support winter field work. GPS tracking, Motus tags, and field research cost money. Your contribution funds the technology that reveals where kestrels go, how they use habitat, and what they need to survive. [Donate here]
Plan your native garden. Start researching California native plants that support birds. This is the perfect time to plan what you’ll plant in spring.
Join a winter bird count. Look for local Audubon chapters hosting bird surveys. Citizen science needs you.
Learn more at upcoming festivals. Meet our team, see our birds, and discover how training and conservation intersect.
The Quiet Season Isn’t Quiet at All
January might seem like a time when nature is resting, but for birds and the people working to protect them, it’s a season of preparation, planning, and action.
Nest boxes going up now will shelter kestrel families in March. Volunteers training now will collect data that shapes conservation policy. Winter surveys happening now reveal population trends that guide habitat restoration for years to come.
Conservation doesn’t pause in winter. It pivots. And right now, we need people who understand what’s at stake and are willing to act.
The breeding season is coming. Are you ready to be part of it?