The Great Backyard Bird Count

This February 15, 16, 17, and 18 birdwatchers of all ages and all levels of experience will create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent during this year’s Great Backyard Bird Count.

Participants count birds anywhere for as little or as long as they wish during the four-day period. They tally the highest number of birds of each species seen together at any one time. To report their counts, they fill out an online checklist at the Great Backyard Bird Count Web site. As the count progresses, anyone with Internet access can explore what is being reported from their own towns or anywhere in the United States and Canada. They can also see how this year's numbers compare with those from previous years. Participants may also send in photographs of the birds they see. A selection of images is posted in the online photo gallery. In 2007, participants reported a record-breaking 11 million birds of 616 species. They submitted more than 80,000 checklists, an all-time record for the ten years of the count. “Anything that gets people out and observing things around them is a good thing,” said Lynn Miller of wild bird shelter Le Nichoir. “It’s a huge concerted effort to amass data and then people can look at that data to learn.”

Bird counts can help researchers with issues ranging from bird migration patterns to the effect of West Nile virus on birds in different regions, and can spot worrisome declines that merit conservation attention.

To find out more about the Great Backyard Bird Count and to download participation forms go to www.birdsource.org