GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Whether they're visiting the feeder outside your kitchen window, or in the tree next to your office, or foraging for food in your local park, giving just 15 minutes of your time to focus on what birds you see could make a tremendous difference for wildlife in Michigan and beyond.
The Great Backyard Bird Count is coming up from February 18 through 21. Scientists and conservationists are asking ordinary people to count the birds they see and report their findings to an app and a website called eBird.
Erin Rowan, a senior conservation associate with Audubon Great Lakes says professionals then use that data on a regular basis.
"A couple of years ago, the 3 Billion Birds Gone report was published. It was a big report that made the news highlighting that nearly 3 billion adult breeding birds have been lost in North America, and a lot of the data used in that analysis came from eBird and other community science databases," Rowan said.
"It really can help inform research and conservation moving forward. Winter bird counts like the Great Backyard Bird Count are increasingly important because it helps scientists better understand the health of our bird populations during winter, and how winter birds are moving and potentially shifting their range due to climate change."
There are a number of resources that can help you identify birds whether you're at home or on the move. Merlin Bird ID is an app that pairs well with eBird and gives you a number of ways to identify birds. You can describe them and receive suggestions about what they might be. You can also upload bird audio and images that will help identify them. The Audubon Society has its own online field guide available.
Bird observation periods need to last at least 15 minutes. You'll also be asked to report where you saw the birds and whether you were walking while you watched, or if you stayed stationary.
There are also some things you'll want to keep in mind to keep the birds safe.
"Make sure you keep your distance, so you're not adding any additional stress to the birds. I would also discourage the use of audio playback to try to attract birds or draw them into for a better look or photographing opportunity, as that adds additional stress to the birds," Rowan said.
Other birding resources
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