FLAP has big plans for International Migratory Bird Day on Saturday May 10 2014, including the launch of two innovative citizen-science applications to their website.  Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) is a Toronto-based advocacy and rescue group that brings awareness to bird and building collisions.

FLAP has been a big part of the SongbirdSOS story since we began developing the concept of the documentary four years ago. The footage we have gathered with them so far is striking: tireless volunteers racing through the streets of Toronto in the early hours of morning, rescuing injured and dead birds littered across the sidewalks. Another major element to FLAP’s mandate is public outreach, and these new web tools are sure to bring more awareness to the issues.

The first tool is FLAP Mapper, which enables users to enter a bird collision with a building anywhere in the world on a live web map. The data entered will help FLAP and other organizations gain a deeper understanding of the bird collision issue, as well as inspire new methods to reduce the threat.

The second tool is FLAP Tracker, a Bird Migration Intensity Report that amalgamates weather conditions, the moon phase, and weather radar to create reports on the concentration of birds as they fly through the Great Lakes Region. The application will help alert home and building owners when to turn lights out at night and when to treat windows during the day.

FLAP also engages in advocacy on the ground. If you’re in the Toronto area on Migratory Bird Day, be sure to check out their booths at Tommy Thompson Park at the Leslie Spit and the Toronto Zoo.

What are your plans for International Migratory Bird Day on Saturday?