diff --git a/bird/bird.go b/bird/bird.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6dfcde
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bird/bird.go
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+package bird
+
+import (
+  "os/exec"
+  "strings"
+)
+
+func Run(args string) ([]byte, error) {
+  args = "show" + args
+  argsList := strings.Split(args, " ")
+  return exec.Command("birdc", argsList...).Output()
+}
+
+func RunAndParse(cmd string, parser func([]byte)([]Parsed)) []Parsed {
+  out, err := Run(cmd)
+
+  if err != nil {
+    // ignore errors for now
+    return []Parsed{}
+  }
+
+  return parser(out)
+}
+
+func Status() []Parsed {
+  return RunAndParse("status", parseStatus)
+}
+
+func Protocols() []Parsed {
+  return RunAndParse("protocols all", parseProtocols)
+}
+
+func Symbols() []Parsed {
+  return RunAndParse("symbols", parseSymbols)
+}
+
+func RoutesProto(protocol string) []Parsed {
+  return RunAndParse("route protocol " + protocol + " all",
+                     parseRoutes)
+}
+
+func RoutesProtoCount(protocol string) []Parsed {
+  return RunAndParse("route protocol " + protocol + " count",
+                     parseRoutesCount)
+}
+
+func RoutesExport(protocol string) []Parsed {
+  return RunAndParse("route export " + protocol + " all",
+                     parseRoutes)
+}
+
+func RoutesExportCount(protocol string) []Parsed {
+  return RunAndParse("route export " + protocol + " count",
+                     parseRoutesCount)
+}
+
+func RoutesTable(table string) []Parsed {
+  return RunAndParse("route table " + table + " all",
+                     parseRoutes)
+}
+
+func RoutesTableCount(table string) []Parsed {
+  return RunAndParse("route table " + table + " count",
+                     parseRoutesCount)
+}
+
+func RoutesLookupTable(net string, table string) []Parsed {
+  return RunAndParse("route for " + net + " table " + table + " all",
+                     parseRoutes)
+}
+
+func RoutesLookupProtocol(net string, protocol string) []Parsed {
+  return RunAndParse("route for " + net + " protocol " + protocol + " all",
+                     parseRoutes)
+}
diff --git a/bird/parser.go b/bird/parser.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..479de08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bird/parser.go
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+package bird
+
+type Parsed string
+
+func parseStatus(input []byte) []Parsed {
+  return []Parsed{}
+}
+
+func parseProtocols(input []byte) []Parsed {
+  return []Parsed{}
+}
+
+func parseSymbols(input []byte) []Parsed {
+  return []Parsed{}
+}
+
+func parseRoutes(input []byte) []Parsed {
+  return []Parsed{}
+}
+
+func parseRoutesCount(input []byte) []Parsed {
+  return []Parsed{}
+}
diff --git a/status.go b/status.go
index 0bb104f..98fbd29 100644
--- a/status.go
+++ b/status.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"github.com/julienschmidt/httprouter"
 	"net/http"
+  "github.com/mchackorg/birdwatcher/bird"
 )
 
 func Status(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, ps httprouter.Params) {
@@ -11,6 +12,8 @@ func Status(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, ps httprouter.Params) {
 
 	res["api"] = GetApiInfo()
 
+  _ = bird.Status()
+
 	js, _ := json.Marshal(res)
 
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")