This weekend, tens of thousands of citizen-scientists will join in The Great Backyard Bird Count, an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the U.S. and Canada.
Carolina Chickadee, 2010 GBBC. Credit: Ken Childs, TN
Participants count birds at any location they wish for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count, then enter their tallies at www.birdcount.org. Anyone can participate in the free event, and no registration is required.
Last year, participants submitted more than 92,000 checklists with more than 11 million bird observations. These data capture a picture of how bird populations are changing across the continent year after year–a feat that would be impossible without the help of tens of thousands of participants.
Brown Pelican, 2010 GBBC. Credit: Bob Howdeshell, TN
“This is a very detailed snapshot of continental bird distribution,” said John Fitzpatrick, director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Imagine scientists 250 years from now being able to compare these data with their own. Already, with more than a decade of data in hand, the GBBC has documented changes in late-winter bird distributions.”
To learn more about how to join the count, get bird ID tips, downloadable instructions, a how-to video, past results, and more visit www.birdcount.org.
Red-shouldered Hawk, 2010 GBBC. Credit: Shane Conklin, MA
The count also includes a photo contest and a prize drawing for participants who enter at least one bird checklist online.
“This count is so much fun because anyone can take part–we all learn and watch birds together–whether you are an expert, novice, or feeder watcher,” said Gary Langham, Audubon’s Chief Scientist. “I like to invite new birders to join me and share the experience. Get involved, invite your friends, and see how your favorite spot stacks up.”
