You can help birds on President’s Day Weekend by counting them.

After we learned last fall that 29% of North America’s birds have vanished since 1970, Cornell Lab of Ornithology provided us with 7 Simple ways to help birds. The Great Backyard Bird Count, 14-17 February 2020, is a fun way to do #7: “Watch Birds & Share What You See.”

Counting birds for science is one simple action that individuals can take to protect birds and the places where they live.

GBBC press release, 2020

It’s easy to participate. Everything you need to know is at birdcount.org including this slideshow that explains how to do it. It’s as easy at 1-2-3.

1. Register for an eBird account if you don’t already have one. (GBBC uses eBird.)
2. Count birds for at least 15 minutes during those four days. Yes, the minimum requirement is just 15 minutes of your time! You can count for longer than 15 minutes and in more than one place if you wish.
3. Keep track of the highest number of each species with a separate checklist for each new day, for each new location, or for the same location if you counted at a different time of day. Use your computer or the eBird mobile app to submit your observations.

If you love to take photographs submit your best shots to the GBBC photo contest. Click here for contest information.

You can count birds anywhere —  in your backyard, in a park, at the shore, or on a hike.  Or stay indoors and count birds at your feeders.

Join the Great Backyard Bird Count, 14-17 February 2020.

(2020 poster from birdcount.org)