As a parent with a degree in zoology, I strongly believe in the importance of teaching kids how to observe the world from a scientist's perspective. Getting your kids involved in a citizen science project, like the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), is a great way to show kids how they can make a contribution to science, while practicing valuable observation skills and enjoying nature. Who knows, they may discover a life-long hobby to enjoy.
To participate in the GBBC with your kids, all you really need is fifteen minutes, and a place to observe birds, sometime during the event, which takes place Feb. 16th-19th, 2018. Consider hanging a bird feeder the week before the count, and you will have lots of birds to identify by the weekend. Don't know your birds yet? Here is my favorite website to help you and your kids learn common, backyard birds - The Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds Guide. Here, the most common birds are right on the front page, or you can search by name or shape.
Download the free eBird app to your phone to record your observations. To assist in identification, eBird automatically generates a list of the most likely birds to occur in your location. Using technology like this is an easy way to capture kids' attention. A good old fashioned identification guide is also very helpful!
Local Events - If you don't want to tackle your first GBBC on your own, there are a couple of events being held around town.
Saturday - The Birmingham Zoo will be hosting a special event for the Great Backyard Bird Count on Saturday, Feb. 17th from 8 am - 2 pm. Hear bird watching tips from Birmingham Audubon Society experts and take part in bird conservation activities in the Junior League of Birmingham – Hugh Kaul Children’s Zoo and Alabama Wilds. Participants are invited to take part in the bird walk from 8 am-10 am and afterwards enjoy crafts and activities from 10 am-2 pm. Additional details HERE.
Sunday - The Birmingham Audubon Society will be hosting a bird walk at Ruffner Mountain on Sunday, Feb. 18th from 8 am - 10 am. A limited number of loaner binoculars will be available. Bring your own if you have them. Register in advance. Additional details HERE.
More about the Great Backyard Bird Count
New York, NY, Ithaca, NY, and Port Rowan, ON—The 21st Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) will take place February 16 to 19—in backyards, parks, nature centers, on hiking trails, school grounds, balconies, and beaches. This global event provides an opportunity for bird enthusiasts to contribute important bird population data that help scientists see changes over the past 21 years. To participate, bird watchers count the birds they see for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count, then enter their checklists at birdcount.org.
"The 2018 GBBC again promises to provide an important snapshot of bird occurrence in February," says the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Marshall Iliff, a leader of the eBird program. "Some stories to watch in North America are mountain birds moving into lowland valleys and east to the Great Plains, crossbills on the move across much of the continent, and many eastern birds responding to extremes as the winter temperatures have oscillated between unseasonably warm and exceptionally cold."
eBird collects bird observations globally every day of the year and is the online platform used by the GBBC.
"The Great Backyard Bird Count is a great way to introduce people to participation in community science," says Dr. Gary Langham (@GaryLangham), vice president and chief scientist for the National Audubon Society. "No other program allows volunteers to take an instantaneous snapshot of global bird populations that can contribute to our understanding of how a changing climate is affecting birds."
In 1998, during the first GBBC, bird watchers submitted about 13,500 checklists from the United States and Canada. Fast-forward to the most recent event in 2017. Over the four days of the count, an estimated 240,418 bird watchers from more than 100 countries submitted 181,606 bird checklists reporting 6,259 species–more than half the known bird species in the world.
"Will we break last year's record number of Canadian participants?" asks Jon McCracken, Bird Studies Canada's National Program Director. "A lot depends on the weather, but a little snow and cold shouldn’t get in your way. Remember that you don't have to venture far afield at all. You truly can count birds right in your own backyard or, better yet, take a pleasant winter stroll around your neighborhood."
To learn more about what scientists discovered the past 21 years and how to take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, visit birdcount.org. The Great Backyard Bird Count is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society with partner Bird Studies Canada and is made possible in part by founding sponsor Wild Birds Unlimited.
The 21st GBBC is additionally notable because it is the February call-to-action for the Year of the Bird, a 12-month celebration of birds to raise awareness of how people can help birds by taking simple actions each month. The Year of the Bird is led by National Geographic, the National Audubon Society, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, BirdLife International, and more than 100 participating organizations. Learn more about Year of the Bird at www.birdyourworld.org.
This male Northern Cardinal is a frequent visitor to backyards in the Birmingham area.
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