“Bird over there.”

A hush falls over the crowd and eight sets of binoculars rise to search for fluttering wings amid the dappled sunshine.

The University of Manitoba Indigenous Birding Club has been meeting weekly since the spring of 2023. It’s a casual network focused on fostering an appreciation for birds, yes, but also on building a welcoming outdoor community.

“We started the group because we had seen other movements creating space for (Black and Indigenous people, and people of colour) out in nature, so we decided to try it here,” says Justin Rasmussen, club co-founder and director of the university’s Indigenous leadership programming department.

To read the full story, please visit the Winnipeg Free Press. 

Earlier this month, the UM Indigenous Birding Club (UMIBC) hosted a Safe Windows event on campus to raise awareness about how many birds die due to striking windows on campus.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada FAQs webpage on bird collisions with glass, windows kill 16 to 42 million birds per year and UMIBC is hoping to demonstrate how easy it is to make windows safer for our feathered friends.

“If you stand outside a building, on most days you will see that the windows reflect the surrounding environment just like a mirror would,” says UMIBC co-founder Justin Rasmussen. “Instead of seeing a window, birds see more trees, grass, shrubs and sky and think it is safe to fly toward the window. Unfortunately, they end up colliding with the window and are often fatally injured from the impact.”

Rasmussen says he hopes the event will inspire more people to consider the impact windows have on birds and take action to make their own windows bird-safe.

“We started with two windows, but our goal is for this tiny initiative to lead to many more bird-safe windows throughout our community,” he says.

Decals were applied to the windows at Migizii Agamik, breaking up the reflection. They were installed at distances that are less than 5 c.m. apart, according to best practices, so the birds don’t think they can fly between them.

This set of decals at Migizii Agamik is the third set of bird-friendly windows on campus to be installed that will prevent window collisions.

Rasmussen says the event was held to support the outstanding efforts of Dr. Emily McKinnon, Dr. Nicola Koper and Dr. Kevin Fraser who have worked to raise awareness and enhance bird safety on the UM campus for years.

UMIBC co-founder Bailey Hendry says these decals are important because they don’t just prevent the loss of birds at the Fort Garry campus, they also create a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly space for everyone.

“Birds provide us with so much joy and care, and it’s our responsibility to care for them in return,” says Hendry. “We can’t abide by birding ethics without advocating for the conservation of the species we spend time finding on our walks, and this is just one step towards making sure our campus buildings are safer for birds so we can continue to enjoy them.”

Members of the Student Experience and Development (SEAD) team came and helped UMIBC with placing the window decals.

SEAD staff and birding club member Safron Blais was introduced to UMIBC last September at Indigenous Orientation and joined the event because she wanted to help.

“Justin and Bailey have forged a space that is supportive, accessible and wholly welcoming,” says Blais. “By being Indigenous-led, the club allows space for decolonized ways of teaching and learning. Through this, I have come to better understand my place in the cycle of the world. More plainly, I am now obsessed with our feathered friends. I have become an acolyte ornithologist, and more importantly, I feel a strong sense of belonging thanks to the birding club.”

Rasmussen and Hendry recommend that people report bird collisions on the Global Bird Collision Mapper website.

You can also check out this Government of Canada resource for more information about birds colliding with windows.

This year, the program focuses on celebrating the creative process through workshops that encourage participants to explore their interests, strengths, and vision. By engaging in various artistic mediums and processes, the participants will learn not only about art but also about themselves. The initiative underscores the belief that art is a gift for both the present and future generations.

In partnership with Willow Tree Action Therapy, Seeing in a Good Way will invite Indigenous youth involved in action therapy programs to delve into Indigenous ways of seeing and being through art. The program is led by professional Indigenous artists Jaime Black, Jessie Jannuska, Claire Johnston, and Peatr Thomas, and has been developed in close consultation with Elders.

Program Launch:

Opening Celebration: Indigenous-Led Birding Walk and Build-a-Bird Workshop

Seeing in a Good Way will kick off with a public celebration on Thursday, June 27, from 5:00 to 8:30 PM at the School of Art Gallery, University of Manitoba. The event is free and open to all, offering a range of activities that highlight the intersection of nature and art.

The evening will begin with an Indigenous-led birding walk organized by the University of Manitoba Indigenous Birding Club. This will be followed by a Build-a-Bird art-making workshop led by the School of Art Gallery’s Indigenous Art Education team: Dee Barsy, Rosie Beck, and Jory Thomas. Participants will have the chance to learn about birds’ unique vision and reflect on how these qualities resonate with their own creative processes.

Schedule of the Opening Event:

• 5:00-5:45 PM: Birding Walk
• 5:45-6:30 PM: Prairie Wildlife / Wildlife Haven Presentation
• 6:30-7:00 PM: Dinner and Build-a-Bird Introduction
• 7:00-8:30 PM: Build-a-Bird Workshop

The summer program will culminate in open studio sessions at the School of Art Gallery on a date to be announced. These sessions will be open to all, providing an opportunity for new and returning students, participants, families, and friends to learn from and collaborate with the young Indigenous artists who took part in the workshop series. These sessions will also allow participants to continue working on their art in a supportive environment, fostering a sense of community and comfort within the School of Art.

Seeing in a Good Way is more than just an art program; it’s a journey of self-discovery and cultural connection. By creating a safe space for artistic expression, the program aims to build courage and self-understanding in young Indigenous artists, helping them to see themselves and their creative potential in a new light.

Learn more about the program: https://umanitoba.ca/art/seeing-good-way

But if you listen closely, dozens of varieties can be heard–and the folks who run the University of Manitoba’s Indigenous birding club are helping people tune in.

“It’s simple what we do. It’s just connecting people in nature, for all the benefits that that brings, so the mental benefits, the emotional, physical and the spiritual,” co-founder Justin Rasmussen said.

To read the full article, please visit APTN. 

They wanted to say maarsi to Rosanna and Kim for joining us in King’s Park for a birding walk and for helping us share the tremendous benefits of getting outdoors and connecting with nature! Chi-Miigwech!..

The title of the episode is “Claiming space in the great outdoors.”

Listen here