The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a community science project in
ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the "methodological study and consequent knowledge of birds with all that relates to them." Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and th ...
. It is conducted annually in mid-February. The event is supported by the
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a member-supported unit of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, which studies birds and other wildlife. It is housed in the Imogene Powers Johnson Center for Birds and Biodiversity in Sapsucker Woods Sanctuar ...
and the
National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society (Audubon; ) is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats. Located in the United States and incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organ ...
. During this four-day event, birdwatchers around the world are invited to count and report details of birds in the area in which they live. Data is submitted online via a web interface, and compiled for use in scientific research. The GBBC was the first community science project to collect bird sightings online and display results in near real-time.
Overview
The GBBC was first launched in 1998 in the US. It is conducted around the second week of February. Since 2013, the event has been observed by international bird watchers, and anyone can now participate in the event. Additional wildlife and conservation institutes around the world have also supported and participated. A number of separate bird watch efforts have been coordinated so as to coincide with the GBBC. In 2015 nearly half of known bird species worldwide were reported.
Data collected during the event is subjected to verification by experts, in order to overcome potential shortcomings in the abilities of amateur participants. Data resulting from the event has raised awareness about changes in the population and habitats of common birds.
References
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External links
Great Backyard Bird Count official websiteebird.org data collating site
Bird censuses
Ornithological citizen science