Great Backyard Bird Count Feb 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 www.birdcount.org.

The best news is that 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 Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society learn more about how birds are doing, and how to protect them and the environment we share. Last year, more than 192,000 participants submitted their bird observations online, creating the largest instantaneous snapshot of global bird populations ever recorded. A record 6,310 species were identified and more than 176,000 checklists were turned in.

The annual GBBC will be held February 18 - 21.

The first thing is to register. Next you count. Then you report. Three simple things that make a HUGE difference! Check out the informative links below.

Step 1: Decide where you will watch birds.

Step 2: Watch birds for 15 minutes or more, at least once over the four days, February 18-21, 2022.

Step 3: Count all the birds you see or hear within your planned time/location and use the best tool for sharing your bird sightings:

• If you are a beginning bird admirer and new to the count, try using the Merlin Bird ID app.
• If you have participated in the count before, try eBird Mobile app or enter your bird list on the eBird website (desktop/laptop).
• If you are participating as a group, see instructions for Group Counting.

If you already contribute to Merlin or eBird, continue what you are doing! All entries over the 4-days count towards GBBC.

Join us and get out there and get counting.