Yuliya Gorelova: Birds do not need to be fed, but they need to get supplemental nourishment

11 november 2022

In our November interview with Yuliya Gorelova, member of the Formula for Good Deeds’ public council and director of a non-profit partnership Birds and People, held in the runup to the Day of the Great Tit festival, we are trying to pinpoint the reasons for birding’s growing popularity in Russia, and to explain how one can help birds properly.

Yuliya, you run the non-profit partnership Birds and People? Why was this organization established?

- The idea to establish our partnership came up in the course of our involvement in the implementation of a large-scale international project to conserve the Siberian white crane and its habitats. The project included both a large environmental protection component and an education component. The majority of the project’s activities were implemented in Tomsk Oblast, mainly in the Tobolsk and Uvat areas that are home to two sanctuaries where Siberian white cranes make a stopover. The project lasted almost ten years. As a follow-up to this project’s philosophy, we decided to create a partnership called Birds and People.

By the way, our first birding competition was conducted during the international project team meeting in Moscow. Back then, birding was not yet associated with bird photography. Everybody liked this experience very much and that is how it all started.

What is birding about and why has this hobby evolved into a competitive event?

- Birding has its roots in a distant past and is associated with the saying attributed to Charles Darwin who is believed to have said that "in my simplicity, I remember wondering why every gentleman did not become an ornithologist”. At that time the word "birder" did not yet exist, because there was no real difference between professional ornithologists and amateur birdwatchers. Vadim Avdanin, our partnership’s president, liked to interpret "birding" as "competitive ornithology". But we are now moving away from this term, as the word "birding" has already become a familiar part of the vernacular of those who participate in these competitions.

By and large, birding is competitive in any case. Or it could be a competition between participants’ individual life lists (lists of species sighted/photographed by the individual in question), which many bird aficionados keep since their early childhood and enter new species on their own. In that sense, birding is a lot like being a collector.

We thought that it would be much more interesting for an audience of schoolchildren and their parents, teachers, and students to compete as teams. It seems to me that such events had not been held before we started doing this. So, we started organizing team competitions involving taking pictures of birds and determining what species they might belong to.

What are the mechanics of the competitions you hold?

- We make checklists (lists of species that can be spotted in a given time period in a particular area) that serve as the basis of the competition. People build their own teams and then on a certain day all they go out and take part in this competition by taking pictures of birds. After that, each team will be given time to identify the species of birds they have seen and to hand in a completed checklist along with the photographs. This format of birding is the optimal way to identify the bird species that inhabit a specific area: people are motivated to photograph and see as many bird species as possible, and, as a result, you have many observers in one large area at once.

Interestingly, when we hold our competitions somewhere in a specially protected natural area, or SPNA, at least one new species always gets added to the list of species inhabiting the area under study. That’s how we manage to make regular discoveries on a local scale.

How can you explain birding’s growing popularity?

- In my opinion this is primarily driven by the evolution of photography equipment. People have an opportunity to photograph birds, to identify their species in a lot of different ways. As a result, bird watching has become a fascinating experience no matter what format it might take.

Where can one follow the schedule of birding competitions?

- We try to post announcements about all of our upcoming competitions on our web site. In many cities and regions birding competitions have already become a good tradition. This includes such locations as Novorossiysk, Perm, Primorye, Ryazan, St. Petersburg, Smolensk, Sochi, the Tula region (on the grounds of the Kulikovo Field Preserve Museum).

For several years now you have been cooperating with the team of SIBUR's social investment program, the Formula for Good Deeds, on a number of environmental projects. What have you managed to accomplish so far?

- Thanks to the program, birding has made quite a headway in Siberia! We have already held competitions in Tobolsk and Tomsk. It is noteworthy that in Tomsk, thanks to the efforts of Tomsk State University’s ornithologists, an entire community of birding rally fans has taken shape).

I am sure that birding will further take root in the Far East, and especially in Amur Oblast. Speaking about our cooperation with SIBUR within the framework of its Formula for Good Deeds program in general, I would like to note their very effective approach to social investments including proper planning, engagement of competent professionals and efficient use of high-quality resources. Without all of that we would hardly have embarked upon many of our joint new endeavors and initiatives in the regions where SIBUR has a presence.

Where is there room for further growth in your joint projects with SIBUR?

- It seems to me that we should focus our efforts on developing local teams. For example, we can see that birding enjoys popularity, it has taken root. But further development of this cause is up to local enthusiasts and bird lovers. And our key role is to support such teams since, over the years, we have gained a lot of experience that is easy to replicate, we offer access to all our experiences and help to replicate our best practices using our proprietary methodologies. Such kind of methodological support is very much in demand now.

Would you say that the knowledge base you have helped build over time is the principal achievement of the Formula for Good Deeds’ environmental projects?

- Yes, certainly. We have put together a whole series of methodological materials on two of our environmental projects: the Forest Formula and the Territory of the Lapwing. When we were writing these guidelines, we did not enlist the help of methodologists, but instead turned to real practitioners who had tested everything and were ready to share the lessons they had learned.

Our joint projects with SIBUR are a perfect example of the replication approach. Now, for instance, whenever we’re holding events such as birding competitions in new cities and regions, we rely on the past experience we already gained, as we expand our projects’ geography.

On November 12, Russia celebrates the Day of the Great Tit. What is this festival about?

- The festival has a long history. According to the Orthodox tradition, November 12 is celebrated as the Day of Saint Zenobios known for his love of wintering birds including the great tit. It was noticed that at this period of time, flocks of great tits started to appear close to human dwellings. There was even a saying that "the great tit is not just squeaking vainly; it's ushering in the winter cold”. Later on, this day took on a life of its own, independent of the Orthodox tradition, and thanks to the Russian Bird Conservation Union it was chosen as the day for an independent festival. Nowadays, the Day of the Great This is the day when people hang bird feeders and start winter bird feeding. It is believed that from this day on, birds need more food.

What is the most important rule to follow when feeding birds?

- The most important rule is we do not feed the birds, but rather provide them with supplemental nourishment. The birds must not become overly dependent upon ourselves. However, it is important to supplement their nourishment regularly. We put up to 50 kg of seeds through the birdfeeder that we hang outside for the winter. For example, ours is an auto-feeder. Every night when it’s dark we add some seeds to the feeder and the birds eat them in the morning. After that, the birds fly off to the nearby forest and forage there on their own for the rest of the day. We can't give them food all the time. We feed the birds sunflower seeds which is a fairly fatty staple, so we don't want to give these great tits liver cirrhosis. Moreover, we need to make sure that their instinct for independent foraging does not atrophy. We note that these days people tend to overfeed the birds in city parks, and that’s going overboard, if you ask me. There should be a proper balance between the educational and the eco-biological components of this process. And, of course, you need to keep feeding the birds throughout the entire cold season. It is especially important not to stop feeding them in February and March. While there is still plenty of food around, including seeds of birch and alder, berries, etc., it will all be gone by spring time.

What is the best way to feed birds?

- We obviously feed both granivorous and insectivorous birds. For example, great tits are insectivores that turn granivores in winter. That’s why we have to choose their feed carefully. The optimal type of feed is salt-free and uncooked sunflower seeds. Pumpkin and squash seeds will also do: this is especially true for those who harvest a lot of those. It’s just that these seeds have to be dried beforehand. If you live in our country’s Eastern regions you can use pine kernels, but they need to be shelled beforehand since insectivorous birds are not able to peck through their thick shells. This rule also applies to peanuts, you can only add shelled peanuts to the feeder.

There are some feeds that are a no-no. Under no circumstances should you put any bread or millet groats in a bird feeder because it will swell up either inside the feeder or inside the birds' stomachs and would cause them irreparable damage.

Some time ago we put together a guidebook as part of the Territory of the Lapwing project, where one can find the full list of what you can feed the birds, and what should by all means be avoided.

What is the very first simple step one can take to help birds?

- It's very simple. Take a plastic bottle or a milk carton. Cut holes through it on both sides, and leave the top untouched. Tie a string to it. Hang it in a place where you can easily add food and watch the birds. By hanging such a feeder outside your window, you will achieve a double effect of helping the birds survive the harsh winter while at the same time enjoying the opportunity to observe birds and learn how to tell them apart. This is always fascinating. That’s when you can start keeping your own life list, starting with those birds that would be coming to your feeder. But again, you’ve got to remember that feeding needs to be done regularly, it's not a one-off affair. Birds get used to the feeder. As Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, "you become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed”. We must always remember that. If you have hung your bird feeder inside a schoolyard, don't forget to fill it with new sunflower seeds every day that you show up there.

Today you have told us about the projects you have been implementing. There are so many of them! Could you tell us what inspires you and what gives you strength?

- This is the kind of activity that fills me with optimism. Nature gives you your life force. Birds are some of the easiest and yet most interesting creatures to observe.

On top of that, people are by nature quite competitive, competition can be very motivating for a lot of people. Last year, we held a competition by correspondence on the iNaturalist.org platform. People published their observations, and in the end all of the results were evaluated. Everyone could take photos of birds in their region, at a time that was convenient for them. And now we are being constantly asked as to when there will be a follow-on to these competitions. Plus, we receive increasingly more calls with questions about when our next birding rally will take place.

It shows that people want to be closer to nature, they want to travel, and we help them fulfill these desires. We see our mission as that of enablers, and it inspires us.

And finally, a question about your further “plans". What projects do you intend to implement next?

- We are going to hold an all-Russian meeting in Smolensk in about a month’s time. It will be dedicated to SPNA monitoring. The meeting will gather scientists working in nature reserves and in national parks, chronicling the nature. Since the 1930s, federal protected areas have been running a program of the so-called Nature Chronicles, and this program is still ongoing. Multi-year data series are thus being formed. We want to integrate citizen science into monitoring of SPNAs, and I am going to make a big presentation about that. Citizen science must become a part and parcel of this monitoring system. And this is especially true in the case of many regional SPNAs where such monitoring is done exclusively by members of the public. As part of Territory of the Lapwing project we have already built a community of people who can monitor protected areas of regional significance. All over the world, citizen science now helps carry out biodiversity research. For example, birders in Tver Oblast have compiled an atlas of the region’s nesting birds.

What useful ornithology resources would you recommend to those who wish to expand their knowledge of this subject matter?

- There are a lot of such resources, with whole communities of bird-fanciers taking shape around them. I could mention such websites as "Birds of European Russia", "Birds of Siberia", "Birds of Tyumen Oblast", "Birds of the Far East", "Birds of Nizhegorodskaya Oblast".

And, of course, let us not forget about the Territory of the Lapwing project page and the website of SIBUR’s social investment program, the Formula for Good Deeds.

Dear Readers! Anyone can really help birds get through the winter.

We invite the residents of Amur (from the city of Svobodny and Svobodnensky District), Nizhegorodskaya (the cities of Dzerzhinsk and Kstovo), Tomsk and Tyumen Oblasts to take part in the 3rd photo contest of bird feeders. Entries will be accepted until November 25. For more details on the terms of participation and on the requirements for the photos, please see the Contest’s Regulations.

All SIBUR Group’s employees are invited to take part in the corporate volunteering #TheDayoftheGreatTit Challenge. All you need to do is to build and install a bird feeder by December 4. The terms of enrollment can be found on our website.

Looking forward to seeing your photos and wishing you the best of luck!