Jeff Walk, Director of Science at the Illinois Chapter of The Nature Conservancy

and Board of Directors member of Illinois

Audubon Society, will discuss the results

of a census of Illinois birds from 2007 to

2009. The study is the third such systematic survey undertaken in Illinois since 1900. The first was from 1906 to 1909, when Alfred Gross and Howard Ray traveled the state and noted the birds they found in all habitats. In the mid-1950s, Richard and Jean Graber repeated the survey in roughly the same areas. And from 2007 to 2009, more than a half dozen researchers took to the field again.

The result is a comprehensive look at bird populations in 22 Illinois habitats.

While it will come as no surprise that many species are in decline since the first two surveys, some of the findings might surprise you. Several species, including cedar waxwings and wood ducks, that were recorded in the third survey were unrecorded in the earlier surveys.

Jeff and a team of six authors recently published the book, "Illinois Birds: A Century of Change," which uses information from bird surveys completed in the 1900s, 1950s, and 2000s to document how Illinois birds and landscapes have or have not changed in the last 100 years.

For their work on the book, Jeff and his co-authors received the 2010 Conservationist of the Year Award from the Illinois Audubon Society.

Researchers have gained a lot of knowledge about our birds and their habitat losses. The results of this important work will help guide conservation strategies through the 21st century.

All WCAS meetings are open to the general public.