Among the 7,920 different species of birds observed last year during the Great Backyard Bird Count is the Broad-billed Roller (photo by Shailesh Pinto in Zimbabwe). A Golden-crowned Kinglet is one of the many birds you can search for during this February’s GBBC (photo by Ezra Campanelli).

Join the action of the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) any time Friday thru Monday, February 14 to 17 – that’s Presidents’ Day Weekend in the United States. No longer a backyard activity, wherever you are, wherever you choose to go birding, and whenever you can during the holiday weekend, plan to join birders from around the world to identify and count the birds you see and report your observations on eBird. Overall, the GBBC provides an opportunity for birders to report where different species of birds are found around the world during mid-February.

Although this winter survey originally developed as a backyard activity, as its name suggests, the Great Backyard Bird Count is no longer limited to your yard – you can pick any number of locations to participate from, for any amount of time you wish to continue birding. It’s easy and great fun to take part in the GBBC 4-day event, which now takes place around the world. And birders now provide an annual late winter view into “where the birds are” on a global scale.

This annual birding event is the first of the new year, and along with the Global Big Day in May, the October Big Day, and the Christmas Bird Count, it provides an opportunity for birders to report what birds are found around the world during each survey period. Last year 642,003 birders turned out around the world. While you can make one or more counts at home, you can also visit your favorite birding sites, or explore a now location too. You can invite friends or family to go birding with you, or even have a “count party.” Some birding clubs and Audubon chapters are hosting GBBC events that you can join, which can be especially helpful if you are a beginning birder or are looking for a friendly social experience.

By participating in the GBBC, you will be sharing the joys of birds and birding with birders from more than 200 countries (210 last year), and during last year’s GBBC birders reported 7,920 of the world’s bird species! Birders also posted 164,740 photos, videos, and sound recordings via eBird, attached to their 384,416 GBBC eBird reports.

You can make bird counts at any number of locations, or a single site – once or a number of times during the 4-day GBBC event. Each observation period should last at least 15 minutes and continue as long as you wish to be birding. During each observation period, you simply identify and count each bird you see or hear, note the times you started and ended along with your location – then report the information to eBird.

You can tap into a wealth of information about how you can make the most of the GBBC opportunities, sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon, Birds Canada, and Wild Birds Unlimited at Great Backyard Bird Count – Join us each February when the world comes together to watch, learn about, count, and celebrate birds.

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