The Georgia Conservancy is hosting a series of field days on private properties in middle and south Georgia to highlight prescribed fire for bird habitat. Whether you are a landowner, property manager, birder, or just interested in prescribed fire, these field days are a great opportunity to learn more about this long-practiced approach to land management.

Our first three Burning for Birds Field Days in Hawkinsville, Charlton County, and Glennville provided the public with hands-on experience conducting surveys for target bird species and the chance to learn more about prescribed fire as a habitat management tool. Learn more about our first two Field Days.

Burning for Birds Field Day participants have the opportunity to conduct call-back surveys to sample for species of concern, including Bachman’s sparrow, Northern Bobwhite quail, loggerhead shrike, brown-headed nuthatch, and Eastern towhee. Using a speaker with a pre-recorded audio file, field day participants act as citizen scientists collecting data that helps document the occurrence of these rare birds.

Burning for Birds Field Days include a prescribed fire workshop where participants receive training on how to responsibly conduct a prescribed burn. Topics include: what weather and site conditions are needed to burn, prescribed fire rules and regulations in Georgia, and which financial and technical resources are available. Field Days will end with a demonstration that allows participants the chance to put fire on the ground and learn the best way, hands-on.