When you think about the wildlife of the Bay of Fundy, images of whales breaching in the ocean, seals sunbathing on the rocks, or flocks of shorebirds in the mudflats might come to mind. However, Kiirsti Owen – a PhD candidate at the University of New Brunswick and Acadia University – might picture a Nelson’s Sparrow darting through the grasses of the salt marshes that surround the Bay. Her research has brought her up-close to this cryptic species of songbird and she has become quite attuned to their unique traits.
“They’re not a very striking bird visually…but their sound is really cool!” explained Kiirsti. Their song is truly unique as it doesn’t sound like the melodic chirping of most birds. It was described to her as the noise a pop can makes when it opens, and that description has stuck.
Tracking Nelson’s Sparrows on the Salt Marshes of the Bay of Fundy – CPAWS New Brunswick
“They’re not a very striking bird visually…but their sound is really cool!” explained Kiirsti. Their song is truly unique as it doesn’t sound like the melodic chirping of most birds. It was described to her as the noise a pop can makes when it opens, and that description has stuck.
Tracking Nelson’s Sparrows on the Salt Marshes of the Bay of Fundy – CPAWS New Brunswick