OREGON — The city of Oregon is considering becoming a Bird City, a program that encourages communities to protect bird habitats and promote environmental awareness through education, native landscaping, and conservation events. With rich natural areas like the Rock River, Nachusa grasslands, and surrounding forests, Oregon is home to hundreds of bird species. As part of the application process, the city plans to host a Migratory Bird Day event on May 10th that includes a guided birding tour through local parks and nature areas.
Oregon Mayor Ken Williams would like the city to join the ranks of other communities in the state, like Rockford and Freeport, and show their appreciation for birds.
“One of the things we would like to do as well is maybe become a bird city because we have so many different types of birds in the area such as the pelicans out on the Rock River. What other city has pelicans in the area?,” he said. “It doesn’t cost anything really and it provides a lot of benefits for our residents.”