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Make Your Local Birds Count Through the Great Backyard Bird Count

by
Bill Whorton

The 16th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) will take place Friday, February 15th through Monday, February 18th. A joint project from Audubon, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and Canadian partner, Bird Studies Canada, this citizen science project is a great way to learn about your local birds and connect with nature while contributing valuable data to scientists and conservationists. Participants are asked to count the birds that they recognize for as little as fifteen minutes on one or more days of the count, and then submit their observations online at www.birdcount.org.You can count in your backyard, at school, at a local park—absolutely anywhere you can find birds.

The GBBC is a great opportunity for educators to introduce new audiences to the study of birds because we ask that participants only report the bird species that they are able to identify. With a bevy of educational and instructional resources available on the program website, you can share a PowerPoint presentation on how to participate, distribute simple participation instructions, and acquaint your audience with some of the most commonly reported birds. You can also download a data form on which to record your observations, and even get a printable checklist of the birds you are most likely to see in your area.

Teachers can participate with their classes in a number of ways. After introducing your class to a few species of birds, you can head out on one of the days of the count to tally the birds found around your school and then submit your results online. With older students, you can explain how to participate, review some basic bird identification, and then have students count in their backyards, or even out their windows! Those interested in photography should also be sure to bring their cameras along and submit their photos of birds (and birders) taken during the count to our annual GBBC photo contest. You can check out some of the last year’s winning photos for inspiration.

After the count, you can explore what has been reported in your area, and for the first time ever, view results from all around the world. So please, join us in this year’s Great Backyard Bird Count, and make your local birds count!

Please contact us at citizenscience@audubon.org for more information.