The Great Backyard Bird Count 2021

 

Get your bird feeders ready, friends!

This weekend is the Great Backyard Bird Count.  And with frigid temperatures gripping the country, this is the perfect time to attract birds to your backyard while helping them survive the winter weather... AND you can use it as a teachable moment as your family (or children) become citizen scientists!

For years, my family has participated in the GBBC. We started when my kids were little. It was a fabulous way to nurture their fascination with wildlife AND develop their scientific skills. Plus, we loved that we were able to participate in a citizen science project. 

What is Citizen Science?

Citizen Science Projects are projects in which scientific research is done, in whole or in part, by amateur (or nonprofessional) scientists. Sometimes it's described as "public participation in scientific research." Scientists rely on the public and its location world wide or in specific areas to observer and send in raw data that the scientists later analyze and interpret to make future predictions.

Counting birds is SO EASY!

Starting tomorrow, Friday, all you have to do is sign up to count the birds you see at your bird feeders (or you may go to a local park/zoo/outdoor area). You simply record what you see and then submit the information to the GBBC.

The GBBC runs from Friday, February 12th through Monday, February 15th.

How to identify birds

If you are a first-time birdwatcher, you can get the free Merlin ID app for your Apple or Android smartphone to help you ID the birds in your backyard. It easily helps you identify birds through a series of guided questions. The app can now identify 6,000 species found on six continents!

So enjoy the weekend, stay warm, and keep your kids busy bird watching!