The 27th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) will be held from Friday, February 16th to Monday, February 19th. Volunteers from around the world are invited to spend at least 15 minutes over the course of one day counting the number of birds they see during the event. Count them, then enter your checklist at birdcount.org. Anyone with internet access can participate, regardless of skill level. It's also a great activity for families.
A lot has changed since the first Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) was held in 1998. Now a global event, each year more and more participants bring unwavering enthusiasm to this event. All the data contributes a snapshot of the bird's distribution and helps scientists see changes over the past 20 years.
“The first GBBC was an experiment,” says eBird program leader Marshall Iliff of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “We wanted to see if people could use the Internet to send us their bird sightings. Clearly the experiment was a success!” eBird supports bird sightings around the world every day of the year. The online platform used by GBBC is collected.
“Backyard Bird Counting is a great way to introduce people to participating in citizen science,” says Gary Langham, Audubon vice president and chief scientist. “No other program allows volunteers to take instant snapshots of bird populations around the world to help us understand how changing climate is affecting birds.”
Changes in weather conditions so far this winter have resulted in several trends that GBBC participants can note during the count.
John McCracken, national program director at the Canadian Center for Ornithology, urged participants in Canada and the United States to be aware of the snow. he says: “The GBBC has done an excellent job of tracking the southern invasion of snowy owls over the past few years. Snowy owl populations are closely linked to the unpredictable 'cycles' of Arctic lemmings, so by 2024 It is impossible to predict what winter will be like in 2020. These cycles occur at intervals of 2 to 6 years. Nevertheless, there have already been reports of snowy owls as far south as Virginia. ”
In addition to counting birds, the GBBC photo competition has also been popular among participants since it was introduced in 2006. Since then, tens of thousands of stunning images have been posted.
For more information on how to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count, see the downloadable instructions and instructional PowerPoint at birdcount.org. GBBC is a collaborative project between the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society partner Bird Studies Canada, and made possible in part by sponsor Wild Birds Unlimited.
This is a great family program for birdwatchers of all ages, and there is no cost to attend. All you need is a basic knowledge of bird identification. You don't need to record every species you see. Record only species that can be properly identified. To participate in the bird count, call the Conservation Commission at 712-769-2372 and have everything you need mailed (or picked up at the office) or visit the website http://www. Visit birdcount.org/. Then follow the instructions.
Let's do our best and aim to be within the top 10 in the state this year! Support the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the Audubon Society by participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count.
