The Great Backyard Bird Count

By Wild Birds Unlimited, Tampa

The earth is an amazingly big place!

So imagine how ambitious it would be to attempt to count all of the birds across the globe during a single four day event. Crazy! Right?

Well, not anymore. Thanks to the annual Great Backyard Bird Count. It is an inter-organizational effort between the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, National Audubon Society and Birds Canada. 

The global community will come together February 14-17, 2025 for the love of birds. This is when more than 380,000 bird watchers from approximately 190 countries will participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) to gather real-time data on more than 7,000 of the world’s bird species.

The scale of this event boggles the mind…and you can be part of it!

The GBBC is the only scientific research to utilize citizen volunteers to collect data about global bird populations and movements. These data contribute to a better understanding of birds’ lives and the many factors that impact them. Just imagine how rewarding it will feel, knowing that by counting the birds at your feeders, you can be a part of a global community that is aiding scientists in making discoveries that will ultimately help birds to survive and thrive.

For example, from GBBC data we have learned that climate changes are moving some birds to new northern territories. These birds include Anna’s Hummingbirds, Carolina Wrens, Tufted Titmice and Northern Cardinals.

So, as you share your backyard birds with the world, your GBBC data will help drive important research across the globe…and by the way it’s fun, too! This is a perfect family activity, tailor-made for kids, grandkids, or even classrooms. Visit https://www.birdcount.org/participate to learn how easy it is for you to become a GBBC Citizen Scientist.