Count anywhere, at any time of day, and for any length of time 15 minutes or longer during the Great Backyard Bird Count!

You can collect the data on your smartphone using the free eBird app, so you can ditch the clunky clipboard and just enjoy looking at birds. Learn more about the count here. 

This year, the Great Backyard Bird Count is from February 16-19.

The global effort unites people that like birds to spend time in their favorite places watching and counting. The Great Backyard Bird Count program began in 1998 and grows each year, as does the volume of resources available to counters worldwide. You can attend a webinar, learn how to use bird ID apps, and download a checklist of birds for your area all from the comfort of your home. Check out the resources and note that you don’t have to register ahead of time to participate. During the count, the website displays a world map showing sightings light up as they are submitted over the four-day period. Get inspired by 2023 data here 

The sheer scale of this effort is unmatched, and it provides a snapshot in time of birds worldwide prior to an annual migration in both hemispheres. In 2023, an estimated 385,000 people participated in 192 countries, and reported more than 7,000 species. With so many eyes in the field, observers were able to document surprises worldwide.

Happy Birding!