COLUMN: Join the Great Backyard Bird Count

     Did you know that every winter all of us have the opportunity to become citizen scientists? We each have the chance to assist scientists and contribute valuable scientific data through a variety of science surveys and activities. Coming up this weekend is a wonderful and educational opportunity for all of us to help count our birds.

     Anyone can participate in the 20^th annual Audubon and Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Annual Great Backyard Bird Count to help take a worldwide snapshot of winter bird populations across North America and the globe. This year’s Great Backyard Bird Count has been set for February 17-20. During these dates, tens of thousands of people from across the United States, Canada, and the world will be counting the birds. I know I’ll be counting and I hope you will too.

     One of the things I like most about the Great Backyard Bird Count is that everyone can participate – all ages and bird watching abilities. It makes a great family, school, or group activity. You can count the birds in your backyard, at your bird feeders, in your schoolyard, in your town, at a park, or at a wildlife area. You don’t even have to venture out in the cold; you can count the birds from inside your warm house, school, office building, or car. You can count the birds anywhere wild birds can be found.  Everyone’s input counts!

     Another thing I like about the GBBC is that counting the birds is easy. A great way to start is to visit www.birdcount.org, where you’ll find easy to follow instructions as well as tips on identifying birds you might not be familiar with. Forms and checklists of bird species common to your area can be downloaded. Then all you have to do is count the birds you see. Write down the highest number of individuals of each species you see at any one time. (This avoids counting the same bird more than once.) Try to count for at least 15 minutes in each location. You can count in as many locations you would like but should fill out a new count form for each location. So if I count the birds in my yard, at a local park, and outside my office, I would fill out three separate count forms. If you count the birds each day you would fill out a separate form for each day and each location. Data can be entered online or you can print off data forms and send them in.

     No matter how many sites you count at or how many days you participate, your count data is important. Maps and data from previous years’ counts are online at www.birdcount.org and include data from counts right here in east central Iowa. You can even look up the birds people have observed in your local community.

     I hope many of you who take the time to read this column will mark your calendars and help record east central Iowa’s winter bird population. Let’s make sure our birds are counted. Even if you don’t own a bird field guide or pair of binoculars, record what you can see and identify. Every bird counted will make a difference.