Great backyard bird count needs bird watchers

All across North America, birds face survival challenges ranging from loss of habitat to introduced predators and diseases such as West Nile virus. The 6th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count (February 14-17) promises to add important new information to our understanding of birds' movement and overall health by focusing our attention on common birds as well as on birds of special concern.

Once again, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society call on birders of every age and skill level to make the court possible. "We need every birder to join us," said Audubon Senior Vice President of Science Frank Gill. "The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) has become a vitally important means of gathering data to help birds, but it can't happen unless people take part. Whether you're a novice or an expert, we need you to take part and help us help birds."

A project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon, with sponsorship from Wild Birds Unlimited, the GBBC combines high-tech Web tools with an army of citizen-scientist bird observers. The GBBC asks families, individuals, classrooms, and community groups to count the numbers and kinds of birds that visit their feeders, local parks, schoolyards, and other areas during any or all of the four count days. Participants enter their sightings at BirdSource, www.birdsource.org/gbbc. The state-of-the-art web site was developed by Audubon and the Cornell Lab.

Begun in 1998, the GBBC has engaged more than a quarter of a million Americans of all ages and backgrounds, and united them in the effort to keep common birds common. "When the last Ivory-billed Woodpecker was seen in the 1930s, there was no concrete way for citizens to help professional ornithologists monitor bird populations," says Cornell Lab of Ornithology director John Fitzpatrick, who this past year led an expedition hoping to rediscover one of North America's most spectacular birds. "We cannot allow other species to face the same fate as the Ivory-bill. The Great Backyard Bird Count provides a way for citizens to help us determine which birds are where and in what numbers, so we can take steps to protect those that need protecting."

Too many species are already showing population declines. GBBC 2003 will put the spotlight on birds that appear on Audubon's WatchList, an accounting of bird species in decline or at conservation risk due to dwindling habitat and other threats. "The WatchList is an early-warning system designed to raise awareness of birds in trouble, before they become endangered or threatened," says Audubon's Gill. "Think of the WatchList as preventive medicine."

Audubon and the Cornell Lab are asking participants to pay special attention to the nearly 200 species of birds on the WatchList, which was updated in October 2002. The site includes features relating to these birds and what participants can do to help them.

The GBBC is also important for more common species. In 2002, more than 47,000 participants counted millions of birds throughout North America. They helped the Cornell Lab and Audubon researchers make interesting observations. Evening Grosbeaks, plentiful in California in 2001, were nearly absent in 2002. Snowy Owls, magnificent hunters found predominantly in the northern part of the continent, were reported in 20 states and provinces during the 2002 count, including sightings from as far south as Oklahoma, Colorado, and Virginia. Last year's count was again instrumental in helping track winter finches, such as Common Redpolls, Pine Grosbeaks, and White-winged Crossbills, that periodically shift their winter ranges southward, particularly in the Northeast.

For the last four years, GBBC participants have shown that Eurasian Collared-Doves are also "on the go," backing results from other studies such as the Cornell Lab's Project Feeder Watch. Since their introduction into Florida in the 1980s, the birds have increased in number in that state and have steadily expanded their range in the U.S. They were reported in 21 states during the 2002 count. GBBC 2003 participants will continue to help scientists keep track of the consequences of their movement.

To view these results, beginners and experts alike are invited to visit the web site. There they will also find a vocabulary section, bird-watching and bird feeding tips, bird vocalizations, and more, including information about House Finch eye disease and the Cornell Lab's groundbreaking study involving citizen scientists. Educators will find the bibliography and geography sections especially handy, and will also find suggestions on how to conduct the count with groups of kids. For those tired of winter and ready for spring, there will be tips about planning and preparing for the spring bird garden.

"The Great Backyard Bird Count is a terrific way for individuals, families, schools and community groups to contribute to a better understanding of birds," says the Cornell Lab's Fitzpatrick. "In return, they learn more about birds in the process. I can't think of a more enjoyable - and more rewarding - way to spend a little time on a late-winter day."

Instructions for participating can be found at www.birdsource.org. There is no fee or registration. Those who would like to participate but aren't online can try their local library. Many Wild Birds Unlimited locations also accept reports. Libraries, businesses, nature clubs, Scout troops, and other community organizations interested in promoting the GBBC or getting involved can contact the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at 800-843-2473 (outside the U.S., call 607-254-2473); 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, New York 14850.