T.S. Eliot may have said that April is the cruelest month, but if you were a bird, you would surely say that February ranked first on that list.

February is "Bird Feeding Month," promoted by the National Bird-Feeding Society (birdfeeding.org). February was selected because it is the hardest month for most wild birds, particularly in northern climates like ours. The weather is typically harsh, and food is scarce.

Project FeederWatch has nearly 16,000 participants across North America monitoring the activity at their backyard bird feeders. The data collected by these “citizen scientists” is used by ornithologists (bird specialists) and wildlife ecologists to monitor trends in bird populations. For instance, their data helps scientists spot when a species might be in trouble.

About 250 Illinois residents participate in Project FeederWatch, and the data they have collected over the past two decades revealed some interesting trends.

For example, the number of crows seen at feeders dropped dramatically between 2002 and 2003, and numbers have remained near 2003 levels since that time. The drop coincides with the arrival of West Nile virus in the region. Crows are particularly susceptible to this infection which is spread by mosquito bites (yep, birds are bitten by those pests too).

Another trend has been a steady increase in sightings of Cooper’s hawks at birdfeeders. As residential development expanded into previously rural areas throughout the 1990s and the 2000’s, the hawks found themselves having to adapt to suburban surroundings. The backyard birdfeeders proved a very attractive addition to the landscape for these hunters even though they do not eat the seed. Rather, the hawks eat small seed-eating birds that are found in large numbers at bird feeders. (Think: hawk buffet table.)

Anyone who feeds the birds can participate in Project FeederWatch which is run through the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology at Cornell University in New York. For more information on the program, and to find out how to sign-up, please visit: www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/. Participants are sent a kit with instructions on how to collect and submit data. New participants are accepted through the month of February.

Join TLC on February 6th at Hennen Conservation area at 1pm to learn how to make your own pinecone birdfeeder. There is no charge for the event, and materials will be provided. Please call the TLC office at 815-337-9502 to register.