How to join

The Canadian Migration Monitoring Network (CMMN)

Curious about joining the CMMN?  The criteria below indicate what is required to become a member station. If you are intrigued, even if not yet sure you’d want to join, we would be glad to hear from you.  Just fill in the inquiry form available here and send it to CMMN.RCSM@gmail.com. We’re always happy to answer questions or offer advice.  And if you do decide to pursue a path to membership, contacting us early will ensure you’ll be able to contribute valuable data to the Network from an early stage.

To be eligible for CMMN membership, an operation must:

1. Monitor the peak migration season of at least one Canadian breeding species daily for at least 2 weeks during spring and/or fall, using site-specific standards for daily banding and/or visual counts; with an expectation of doing so for at least 5 consecutive years.

(Member sites opting to participate in the CMMN’s cooperative Trend Monitoring Program meet stricter criteria for length of daily and seasonal coverage, and should aim to operate for 10+ years.  Members unable to participate in this project at the outset can always begin participating later on.)

2.  Operate in Canada; although exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis for stations located close to Canada’s border.

3. Operate under a written operations protocol that provides complete information on how data are collected (see guidelines on this list of resources for applicants).

4. Submit results of standardized counts in a timely manner to Birds Canada using approved reporting methods for archiving and, after membership approval, appropriate display and public access via NatureCounts.  Population trends are not calculated until there are 10 years of data, but data from early years are used in other types of analyses.

What are the benefits of joining?

• Your hard-earned data will be permanently archived by Birds Canada, and can be used for research and conservation forever. Data collected at or by CMMN stations have contributed to over 150 original research publications on migration alone, one of which is detailed in this video.
• There are fund-raising benefits:
  • Increase your appeal to potential donors by elevating your operation from a local project to a one with recognized national significance;
  • Raise funds for your station by participating in Birds Canada’s annual Great Canadian Birdathon, which has a special program for CMMN members. Significant funds can be raised ($10-20,000 by some 2024 participants)

Participate in CMMN meetings (usually every second year, either in person or virtual) to get updates on Network developments, reports from other stations, and special presentations on migration studies.