The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) returns for its
12th season February 13-16, 2009. The National Audubon Society and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology encourage everyone to COUNT BIRDS WITH A BUDDY! Bird enthusiasts of all ages can share their love of birds with a friend, a child, a scout troop, a class, or a co-worker-opening new eyes to the joy of birding and the fun of creating a unique snapshot of winter bird abundance and distribution across the continent. Every pair of eyes is needed and every bird counts, whether in a backyard, on a high-rise balcony, in a park, or on any of the 730 million acres of public lands.
In 2008, participants sent in more than 60,000 checklists, with a
record-breaking 635 species and more than 8 million birds counted. These millions of sightings generate what would be impossible otherwise -- continent-wide information about where the birds are and how their numbers compare with those of previous years. Anyone with Internet access can see the results in maps and charts as the sightings pour in.
"The level of energy created each February by Great Backyard Bird counters is phenomenal," said Dr. Paul Green, director of Citizen Science for Audubon. "What always amazes me are the new discoveries made by people across North America. Some bird watchers even send digital photos to back up their reports. Last year participants sent in more than 1,000 photos and many are now part of the GBBC web site gallery."
Each year, the GBBC has kept tabs on the ever-changing patterns of birds in winter. How far north will American Robins be reported this year? Will Sandhill Cranes migrate early or late? Introduced Eurasian Collared-Doves have been turning up in new states -- where will they be this year? Native Red-bellied Woodpeckers have been spreading to the northeast -- will the trend continue? Scientists also want more information on declining species, such as Rusty Blackbirds and Painted Buntings. While these species are suffering due to the continued destruction of their preferred habitats, other factors, such as mercury accumulation in Rusty Blackbirds, and removal of Painted Buntings for the illegal cage bird industry, may make a bad situation worse.
"This project has become a major source of scientific information about North American bird populations," said Dr. John Fitzpatrick, director of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. "It is a classic example of the vital role citizens and the Internet now play in understanding our planet."
In 2006, for the first time, the Lab of Ornithology and Audubon
launched an element of friendly competition. Awards were given to localities that submitted the most checklists, recorded the greatest number species, or counted the highest number of birds.
A photo contest was also held based on bird pictures taken during the event and submitted for posting on the GBBC
gallery. This year everyone who sends in a checklist will be eligible to win a
prize.
Everyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to seasoned experts. During the count, bird watchers tally up birds for as little as 15 minutes, or for as long as they like, keeping track of the highest number of each bird species they see together at one time. People are encouraged to report birds from public lands and local parks, as well as from their backyards. Participants enter their numbers online at
www.birdsource.org/gbbc
and can explore sightings maps, lists, and charts as the count progresses.
Year-round, anyone can view results from past counts and learn how to participate by visiting www.birdsource.org/gbbc. There is no fee or registration for the event, which is sponsored by Wild Birds Unlimited.
Ambassadors Needed!
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon are looking for ambassadors for the
Great Backyard Bird Count.
Ambassadors play a key role in helping us spread word about the event. Choose your level of involvement--whether by putting up posters, sending email messages to local list serves, forwarding a press release to your newspaper, hosting GBBC workshops, or encouraging libraries and nature centers to make computer available for participants to enter data.
For more information, write to Jennifer Smith at jls39@cornell.edu. Type GBBC in the subject line. Include your name, address, phone number and email address in the message.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a nonprofit membership institution interpreting and conserving the earth's biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds.
Audubon is celebrating its centennial year of protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. Its national network of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engage millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in positive conservation experiences.
Why is BirdSource doing this? - Find out why the bird count is important and what science can learn from your findings.
Results- Learn about the results of the Annual Backyard BirdCount. Find out which birds are tops in your community, during and after the count!
BirdSource- Citizens and scientists working together for bird conservation.
In Our Backyard - The GBBC is one of our favorite annual events on the Olson farm. Our backyard supports many over-wintering varieties of birds. Stay tuned to our Flickr gallery for our latest photos. Please stop by the BirdCount Group at Flickr and share your own backyard bird photographs. Bird enthusiasts of all ages and abilities are welcome!
Note: This project requires submitting personal information. Always get permission before giving out personal information. If you are a child it is always best to share a project or activity with a responsible adult!
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