Most people can tell the difference between a
Mallard, Canada Goose, and a Mute Swan, but what about the myriad of other
winged wonders that frequent the lakes, ponds, and wetlands of the City of Long
Beach? The Winged Wonders banner project at the El Dorado Park Duck Pond will
help visitors identify the various feathered residents while also offering information about each bird’s diet and song or call.
The Winged Wonders banner project can be viewed at the El Dorado Duck pond now. The project is the culmination of seven years of work beginning with
Councilwoman Schipske and the Fifth District Lakes, Ponds, and Wetlands
Taskforce she created in 2007.
“Not only are the Winged Wonder Banners beautiful to
look at, visitors will also be able to call a number listed on them to hear
more about the species and hear their songs and calls,” explained Schipske, “I
hope that everyone who comes to the Duck Pond will enjoy learning about the
amazing birds with which we share the park.”
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Over the years, the taskforce has created The Long
Beach Duck Patrol Activity Book to teach young people about the harm caused by people feeding human food to the local wildlife; began an education program
to make fishermen aware of the potential dangers of fishing line to the local
wildlife which included signs and installation of monofilament recycling
receptacles in 2012 at El Dorado’s lakes; and organized annual clean up outings
to clear the lakes and ponds of human litter and restoration of banks around
the lakes.
The Winged Wonders banner project displays images of
22 bird that inhabit El Dorado Park and also offers information about what each
type of bird eats to be healthy. The banners urge visitors not to feed human
food to the birds to keep them healthy and cut down on disease and harmful
bacteria.
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No taxpayer money was used to implement this project.
Winged Wonders was made possible by the generous support of Partners of Parks,
The Port of Long Beach, Los Cerritos Wetlands, Waste Management, The Cornell
Lab of Ornithology, and The Eldorado Audubon Society. Local photographer, Evan
Butterfield provided many of the photos and images of birds that proved to be more camera shy were obtained from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and
various photographers through Wikimedia Commons.
More information about the Winged Wonders banner
project, the work of the Lakes, Ponds, and Wetlands Taskforce, and links to
educational resources, fliers, and more, will soon be available on the www.lbdistrict5.com
website. Click on the Winged Wonders tab in the left menu.