. >>> POLLINATING PLANTS, SPREADING SEEDS, CONTROL INSECTS BUT IN THE PAST 50 YEARS 30% OF THE BIRDS IN NORTH AMERICA, THAT IS THREE BILLION OF THEM, HAVE VANISHED. MOSTLY BECAUSE OF HABITAT LOSS, POLLUTION AND NOW CLIMATE CHANGE. IN TONIGHT'S PROJECT EARTH, CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY IN THE BAY AREA IS HELPING SCIENTISTS WORK TOGETHER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WAYS TO HELP BIRDS. >> THE WILD BIRDS COME HERE AT THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE BAY AREA SURROUNDED BY URBAN SPRAWL. NATIVE BIRDS FOUND A SAFE HAVEN ON A STRIP OF FOREST >> THIS IS A LITTLE ISLAND OF NATURAL HABITAT FOR EVERYTHING THAT LIVES HERE SPECIFICALLY WE WATCH THE BIRDS. >> Reporter: KATIE IS WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY BIRD OBSERVATORY. OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS VOLUNTEERS WITH THE NONPROFIT HAVE STUDIED BIRDS AT THE COYOTE CREEK FIELD STATION. THEY HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN SOME SPECIES >> WITH CLIMATE CHANGE THESE ECOSYSTEMS ARE IMPACTED. THESE SPECIES ARE IMPACTED OFTEN IN A NEGATIVE WAY. >> Reporter: TO SHED LIGHT ON THE ISSUE KATIE AND HER TEAM COLLECT DATA USING A TRADITIONAL RESEARCH METHOD KNOWN AS BANDING. >> GOT A VERY BIG PERSONALITY. >> Reporter: THE BIRDS ARE GENTLY CAUGHT, THEIR FEATHERS INSPECTED. BY BLOWING ON THE BIRD THEY CAN CHECK FOR IT. >> IT ROLLS AND GOES UP AND DOWN. >> I BAN WITH A UNIQUE NUMBER IS FITTED AROUND ITS LEG AND THEN THE BIRD IS RELEASED. IF THE BIRD IS CAUGHT AGAIN THE ID ALLOWS SCIENTISTS TO KEEP TRACK OF THE MOVEMENT. >> WE RECAPTURE A LOW PERCENTAGE OF THE BIRDS YOU BAND. YOU HAVE TO BAND A LOT OF THE BIRDS TO HAVE ANY OF THEM TURN UP AT ANOTHER STATION. >> NOW A GAME CHANGING TECHNOLOGY IS BLOWING RESEARCHERS AWAY. >> WE HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO SEE DATA LIKE THERE ON THE WEST COAST BEFORE >> IT USES RADIO TRANSMITTERS TO TRACK WILDLIFE AS IT TRAVELS DISTANCES ACROSS THE GLOBE REVEALING INCREDIBLE NEW DETAILS. >> WE HAD DETECTIONS OF WESTERN MEADOW LARKS HERE IN THE VALLEY. WHEN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE VALLEY WERE TAGGED IN MONTANA. >> HEADING UP THE PROGRAM FOR THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE. SO FAR CALIFORNIA HAS MORE THAN 50 STATIONS WITH ANTENNAS PLACED FROM THE OREGON BORDER TO THE SALTON SEA. THIS ONE IN SHA SALONO COUNTY. >> IT WILL MOVE BY. >> Reporter: THEY PUT ON TRACKING TAGS TO SMALL BIRDS, BATS, EVEN BUTTERFLIES AND BEES. WHEN THE WILDLIFE FLIES BY A TOWER THE TAG EMITS A UNIQUE RADIO SIGNAL THAT GETS PICKED UP BY THE ANTENNA. >> SEE THE RED FLASHING LIGHTS? RIGHT ALONG THE BOTTOM. >> THE SIGNAL GOES TO THE CLOUD AND ENDS UP IN A CENTRAL DATA BASE >> THEN IT IS IS AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO TAKE A LOOK AT. >> Reporter: WHAT IS KEY? RESEARCHERS ARE SHARING DATA. THE HOPE? SCIENTISTS WILL UNDERSTAND WHERE THE BIRDS ARE SPENDING TIME AND IDENTIFY WHICH AREAS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TO PROTECT AS THE PLANET CONTINUES TO WARM. >> I AM VERY CONCERNED. >> Reporter: BACK AT THE COYOTE CREEK STATION THERE IS A STATION, KATIE HOPES THAT THE DATA AND HUMANS WILL HELP GIVE THESE BIRDS A FIGHTING CHANCE. >> THE MORE WE CAN SLOW CLIMATE CHANGE THE BETTER. >> Reporter: IN THIS CASE AIMING FOR MORE THAN JUST A WING AND A PRAYER. >> THERE ARE
