Friends! Want to take part in a citizen science project? Participate THIS WEEKEND in the Great Backyard Bird Count!
A citizen science project is an activity hosted or sponsored by organizations that let non-scientists (anyone!) help contribute to scientific research by simply participating. The Great Backyard Bird Count is exactly that and it's been happening for the last 23 years.
This year, the GBBC starts on Friday, February 14th and runs through Monday the 17th. It's EASY to do and a WONDERFUL teaching opportunity for all children... and their parents!
All you have to do is go outside - or look out your window! - and count the number of birds that you see during a 15-minute time frame. Write it down and then submit your observations online!
All the data is then sorted and analyzed by the ornithologists (scientists) over at Cornell University and other institutions. An alarm went out across the world last year when a new study revealed that there are 2.9 BILLION less birds today than there was 50 years ago. Which is why projects like this one are so important now.
You can count in your own backyard, go to a park/zoo/lake/mountain top/WHEREVER!
Not sure what kind of bird it is that you're looking at? No problem! Download the Merlin Bird ID app. It's FREE and easily helps you identify birds through a series of guided questions. It can identify 3,000 species found on three continents.
Here's an awesome video to give you a better idea about the bird count...
We used to participate every year when my older kids were younger, but haven't done so since moving back to Texas. I'm excited to get us out and counting again this year!
We used to participate every year when my older kids were younger, but haven't done so since moving back to Texas. I'm excited to get us out and counting again this year!