Science Discovery
Nature Discovery
Takes Many Forms at The Nature Center
Whether you contribute to climate science or track migratory birds via the Motus app, we hope you learn something new. We welcome your help finding the answers to questions we don't know so we can support wildlife and people.
Where do bats spend their lives? How do we adapt to a changing climate? How many native bees are there in Oregon?
Special Discovery Opportunities
Pollinator
Patch
Native plants and native pollinators thrive in the Nature Center’s Pollinator Patch! Pick up a bloom calendar to find your favorite native plants! Learn how hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, and 600+ native bees are crucial to pollinating the plants that add beauty to our lives and put food on our tables. Our Patch also provides ways to produce works of art with rubbings, stencils, and photographs.
Motus
Migration Tracking
Track the movements of wildlife with the Motus Migration Tracker. This powerful tool is designed for radio telemetry, wildlife tracking, and mapping migrations over long distances. Its multiple receivers make it the perfect choice for scientists, conservationists, and wildlife enthusiasts. With the Motus Tracker, you can gain valuable insights into the behavior of animals and protect their habitat.
Climate Observation
Oregon Season Tracker (OST), an Oregon State University Extension Service program, connects volunteers, natural resource managers, educators, and researchers to the science they use. CoCoRaHS is a non-profit, community-based network of volunteers who measure and map precipitation (rain, hail, and snow). It aims to provide the highest-quality data for natural resources, education, and research applications.
Ankeny Hill Nature Center staff and volunteers are climate observers, recording and reporting daily precipitation for OST and CoCoRaHS.org. The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network Oregon Season Tracker and CoCoRaHS weather data from the Nature Center have contributed to climate science research in Oregon and nationally.
Overcoming
Light Pollution
Join the fight against light pollution with DarkSky. We believe in preserving the night sky and protecting bird migration, especially along the migration flyways in Oregon. You can be part of this vital mission, get involved in educational opportunities and scientific discoveries, and help build a better future and a haven for the millions of birds traveling through the night sky.
Explore
Bird Watching
Enjoy birding from the David B. Marshall Outdoor Classroom (closed-door blinds) at other spots around the Nature Center. Discover the science of ornithology links to research produced and published in partnership with Avian Knowledge Northwest, the Avian Knowledge Network, eBird, The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and related organizations.