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Great Backyard Bird Count
February 17 - February 20
No matter what is happening in the world, birds give people the chance to unite around something positive – our shared connection to nature. Everyone is invited to join the 26th annual Great Backyard Bird Count, happening February 17-20, 2023! This global event is our opportunity to observe birds from our own homes or communities and contribute to a snapshot of bird populations around the world. Your participation helps birds, too – your counts will add to a body of knowledge that helps us all better understand and conserve birds.
How to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count
In this free, fun event, people around the world count birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more of the event days (Feb. 17-20). You can count birds anywhere – from the warmth of your home, while out walking, or at your nearest park. After you submit your results online, researchers use the data to study bird movements and populations, tracking bird migrations, monitoring changes in abundance for different species, and more. And, you can watch in real time on the live map as Great Backyard Bird Count contributions are submitted from around the world!
Everyone can participate
Everyone is welcome to join in the Great Backyard Bird Count – from first-timers to expert birders. It’s a great activity to do together with all members of your household. It’s also an excellent learning activity for students or nature groups. You can find out which birds you are likely to see in your area by using this tool. Resources to help you with bird identification are available on the event website. Learn more and get involved.
To submit your public events for consideration, email Noah Cole at noahc@ontarionature.org. Please send well in advance and allow up to two weeks for posting. Events must be submitted by a member group or run jointly with Ontario Nature.