The Great Backyard Bird Count Starts Next Friday, Feb. 18
Take part in an annual tradition that’s strictly for the birds hosted by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology!
Great Backyard Bird County is February 18 – 21
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a free, fun, and easy event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of bird populations. Participants are asked to count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the four-day event and report their sightings online at birdcount.org. Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, from beginning bird watchers to experts, and you can participate from your backyard, or anywhere in the world.
Each checklist submitted during the GBBC helps researchers at the National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada learn more about how birds are doing, and how to protect them and the environment we share. Recently, more than 160,000 participants submitted their bird observations online, creating the largest instantaneous snapshot of global bird populations ever recorded.
The 25th annual GBBC will be held Friday, February 18, through Monday, February 21, 2022. Please visit the official website at birdcount.org for more information.
Bird populations are always shifting and changing. For example, 2014 GBBC data highlighted a large irruption of Snowy Owls across the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and Great Lakes areas of the United States. The data also showed the effects that warm weather patterns have had on bird movement around the country.
The Great Backyard Bird Count is a wonderful way to dip your toes into the world of birds, feel the warmth of the birding community, and discover wonders in your own neighborhood. Check out results from last year and see how to participate in the 2022 count.
Tips for the Great Backyard Bird Count: Join bird experts on Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 2 p.m. ET for a free webinar to help you make your GBBC easier and more fun. Brush up on bird ID, unlock the mystery of bird songs, and practice counting birds no matter how large the flock or how busy the feeder.
