Ontario Nature Blog

The ruby-throated hummingbird is one of Ontario’s most beloved birds, bringing flashes of colour to gardens and backyards each summer. However, new results from the third Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas (Atlas-3) suggest this tiny species is declining in parts of the province. The good news, though, is that there are simple ways to help, starting ...

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Following the successful ten-year run of the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas, Ontario Nature developed a Long-Term Monitoring Protocol (LTMP) to fill important knowledge gaps about Ontario’s common and at-risk snakes. Since 2019, we’ve expanded the LTMP from nine monitoring locations to over 60 sites across the province! We recently published a Story Map where ...

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“How about doing a moth survey at Sydenham?” “A moss survey?” Asked Roberta Buchanan, local property steward for Sydenham River Nature Reserve, who didn’t quite hear me while we were walking outside. “No, moths. Like a nocturnal equivalent to the butterfly survey. Who knows what we’ll find?” It was 2023. I knew how unique the ...

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When I told my parents that my brother and I would be out on a weekend to go to a snake event, they were more than skeptical. Like more than half the world’s population, they’re not particularly comfortable at the thought of being in snake habitat. Snakes are one of the most misunderstood and feared ...

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Square bashes are an enjoyable way for birders with any level of experience to contribute to the third Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas (“Atlas-3” for short). As 2025 is the final year of the community science project, this year’s events are your last chance to join in the fun and help make the Atlas the best ...

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