{"id":47983,"date":"2026-10-28T14:58:02","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T19:58:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/?p=47983"},"modified":"2026-10-28T14:59:45","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T19:59:45","slug":"literary-icons-passion-for-birds-supports-new-conservation-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/literary-icons-passion-for-birds-supports-new-conservation-center\/","title":{"rendered":"Literary Icon\u2019s Passion for Birds Supports New Conservation Center"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"author
Author and live-long bird enthusiast Margaret Atwood Image by Amrei-Marie<\/a>via Wikimedia Commons<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From time to time, we\u2019re reminded that famous people, the ones we know and admire for all sorts of reasons, can be just like the rest of us. They have favorite colors and fashions, and they enjoy activities that help them relax. And yes, some of them love birds\u2026just like us. They\u2019re ordinary people but with a higher profile. One such person is the well-known novelist Margaret Atwood, best known for her novel The Handmaid\u2019s Tale<\/em><\/a>, which was also adapted into an award-winning television series that can be viewed on Hulu.<\/p>\n

Margaret Atwood\u2019s love of birds is nothing new. It\u2019s a lifelong passion that dates back to her childhood. Her father, an entomologist (a scientist who studies insects), was also a dedicated conservationist. His appreciation for the natural world, especially birds, helped foster Margaret\u2019s own love of birds. That passion became such a meaningful part of her life that she shared it with her late partner, novelist Graeme Gibson<\/a> who wrote Communion<\/em> and The Bedside Book of Birds<\/em>. At one point Atwood and Gibson shared their home with a parrot named Harold Wilson that Gibson rescued in Mexico while writing his novel Five Legs<\/em>. (Check out this interview with Atwood as she shares stories about life with their parrot<\/a>, Harold Wilson.)<\/p>\n

The Atwood-Gibson Bird Centre: A Dream Takes Flight<\/h3>\n

The Pelee Island Bird Observatory (PIBO)<\/a> works to track North American migratory bird species and monitor changes in their populations over time. On September 12, 2026, the Atwood-Gibson Bird Centre opened its doors, bringing a shared conservation dream to life. Beyond her celebrated writing career, Margaret Atwood also publishes on Substack, a platform for independent writers. Through her Substack subscriptions and other contributions, Atwood donated C$1 million (approximately US$715,000 or \u00a3540,000) to help make the new center a reality. Her donation will help PIBO continue its important work monitoring around 200 bird species and deepening our understanding of these remarkable travelers.<\/p>\n

Each year, the center hires two assistant field biologists to help band birds, which allows researchers to track their movements and learn more about their lives. PIBO also leads several important research and conservation projects that help us better understand and protect birds in their natural habitats. Atwood\u2019s contribution reflects how a lifelong interest in birds can help advance conservation efforts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Well-known novelist Margaret Atwood\u2019s lifelong love of birds helps bring a new sanctuary for migratory bird research and conservation to Ontario\u2019s Pelee Island. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8046,"featured_media":47984,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[171],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-everyday","bird-type-wild-bird"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nLiterary Icon\u2019s Passion for Birds Supports New Conservation Center – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Well-known novelist Margaret Atwood\u2019s lifelong love of birds helps bring a new sanctuary for migratory bird research and conservation to Ontario\u2019s Pelee Island.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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