GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT IS GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH NATURE
In February, volunteers throughout the U.S. and Canada are invited to “Count for Fun, Count for the Future!”
New York, NY & Ithaca, NY, 23 October 2007—Millions
of novice and accomplished bird watchers can make their fascination
with nature add up for science and for the future during the 11th
annual Great Backyard Bird Count, led by Audubon and the Cornell Lab of
Ornithology. During “Presidents’ Day” weekend, February 15–18, 2008,
anyone can count birds from wherever they are and enter their tallies
online at www.birdcount.org. These reports create an exciting real-time
picture of where the birds are across the continent and contribute
valuable information for science and conservation.
“These
volunteers are counting not only for fun but for the future,” said Tom
Bancroft, Chief Science Officer for Audubon. “It’s fun to see how many
different kinds of birds can be seen and counted right in your backyard
or neighborhood park. Each tally helps us learn more about how our
North American birds are doing, and what that says about the health and
the future of our environment.”
“The GBBC is a great way to
engage friends, family, and children in observing nature in their own
backyard, where they will discover that the outdoors is full of color,
behavior, flight, sounds, and mystery,” said Janis Dickinson, Director
of Citizen Science at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
People
of all ages and experience levels are invited to take part wherever
they are—at home, in schoolyards, at local parks or wildlife refuges,
even counting birds on a balcony. Observers count the highest number of
each species they see during at least 15 minutes on one or more of the
count days. Then they enter their tallies on the Great Backyard Bird
Count web site www.birdcount.org.
The web site provides
helpful hints for identifying birds. Participants can compare results
from their town or region with others, as checklists pour in from
throughout the U.S. and Canada. They can also view bird photos taken by
participants during the count and send in their own digital images for
the online photo gallery and contest.
In 2007, Great Backyard
Bird Count participants made history, breaking records for the number
of birds reported, and the number of checklists. Participants sent in
81,203 checklists tallying 11,082,387 birds of 613 species.
“Literally,
there has never been a more detailed snapshot of a continental
bird-distribution profile in history,” said John Fitzpatrick, Director
of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Imagine scientists 250 years from
now being able to compare these data with their own!” Already, the
count results show how the numbers of some birds species have changed
in recent years, such as a decline in Northern Pintails and an increase
in Hooded Mergansers, consistent with trends from the Christmas Bird
Count and Breeding Bird Survey.
“People who take part in the
Great Backyard Bird Count see the results of their efforts in the news
and in bird conservation work taking place across the country, said
Audubon Education VP, Judy Braus. “Whether the counts occur at home, at
schools or nature centers, they’re more than engaging and educational
science activities for young people and adults, they’re a way to
contribute to the conservation of birds and habitat nationwide.”
Lt.
Daniel Britt, who served in Iraq 16 months, is glad to be back home in
Zimmerman, MN, where he and his sons plan to join the GBBC. "We get a
bunch of birds in our backyard," Britt said, "but my oldest son,
Daniel, and I may cross country ski into the Sherburne National
Wildlife Refuge to count birds there."
For more information on
how to participate, including identification tips, photos, bird sounds,
maps, and information on over 500 bird species, visit
www.birdcount.org.
The Great Backyard Bird Count is sponsored in part by Wild Birds Unlimited.
#
Comments from last year’s participants:
“I
was thrilled to be part of something that would help shed light on the
environment and the impact that humans have on this earth. It was a
chance to use my hobby for a greater good.” —Lauren, North Carolina
“My
4 1/2 year old grandson is very excited about it; he can already
identify Northern Cardinals, Carolina Chickadees, and woodpeckers in
general. We’re working on identifying Red-bellied and Downy
woodpeckers. It’s very rewarding for me, and it makes him very proud of
himself.” —John, Maryland
"I am eight years old and have
loved birds since I was a baby. Birds are very beautiful and the
backyard bird count is a lot of fun." –Breanna, Ohio
“I had
great fun participating. It is a quiet and peaceful project. In today’s
busy and exhausting lifestyle, everyone should sit still and observe
birds.” —Helen, Massachusetts
“I always feel honored that we citizens can contribute to science with our home observations.” —Linda, Alaska
The
Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a nonprofit membership institution
interpreting and conserving the earth’s biological diversity through
research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. www.birds.cornell.edu
Audubon
is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat
that supports them. Our national network of community-based nature
centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy
on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engage
millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in conservation. www.audubon.org ###
