The Great Backyard Bird Count: Citizen Science in Your Backyard
By Linda Ewing
One of the great joys of birdwatching is that birds are everywhere. They thrive in remote wilderness areas, sure. But you can also find birds in neighborhood parks and playgrounds, perched on the ledges of office buildings, pecking away in fields and vacant lots, wheeling in the sky overhead. And, of course, in millions of backyards.
The Great Backyard Bird Count was launched by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society in 1998 and went global in 2013. This year, the count runs from February 14 to February 17. Over those four days, hundreds of thousands of participants around the world will take a few minutes to observe, count and report the birds they see in their backyards or other nearby birding spots. It’s as simple – and as audacious – as that. Simple, because anyone, anywhere can participate. Audacious, because the data generated by participants provide a wealth of information about bird populations in a changing environment. In 2024, more than 640,000 participants in over 200 countries and subregions observed an astonishing 7,920 species of birds.
Table of Contents
- What is citizen science in birdwatching, and why is it important?
- Why Join the Great Backyard Bird Count in 2025?
- How to join and contribute to the Great Backyard Bird Count
What is citizen science in birdwatching, and why is it important?
“Citizen science,” or “community science,” refers to the involvement of ordinary people in the collection of scientific data – often at a scale far beyond what academic scientists could ever achieve. In the case of the Great Backyard Bird Count, the effort’s geographic breadth, continuity over time, and sheer number of observations combine to create a treasure trove of data for researchers seeking to protect biodiversity. Data from the count can be an early warning sign of declining bird populations, spurring research into causes and potential responses.
Why Join the Great Backyard Bird Count in 2025?
The Great Backyard Bird Count brings benefits to individual participants, their communities, and – last but definitely not least – birds.
Benefits for Birdwatching Participants
For participants (that is to say, for you), the Great Backyard Bird Count is a fun opportunity to learn more about your local birds. In much of the United States, the count takes place during the winter doldrums, providing a welcome shot of nature and color. Honing your observation skills and finding unexpected birds in your own backyard is exhilarating.
Benefits for Communities
The broader community benefits, too. It may not be scientifically proven that slowing down and spending time in nature makes people happier and healthier, but it definitely feels that way. More seriously, in a time of political and social polarization, a shared love of birds can be a source of connection. Global issues like climate change and habitat destruction often seem like unsurmountable forces that we’re powerless to change. The Great Backyard Bird Count counters this by fostering community engagement and with it, a sense of power and hope.
Benefits for Birds
The biggest beneficiaries, though, are the birds. The data collected through the Great Backyard Bird Count helps scientists document changes in bird populations, contributing to research that can shape conservation efforts and mobilize public support for them. At the grassroots, involvement in the Great Backyard Bird Count gives participants a personal stake in the fate of their local birds, turning casual birdwatchers into advocates for bird conservation.
Learn How to Help Make Bird Migrations Safer
How to Join and contribute to the Great Backyard Bird Count
Now that you’re sold on participating, how do you go about it? It’s easy. Start by reviewing the official Great Backyard Bird Count website.
Gather the Essentials
Essential equipment includes a basic pair of binoculars and either a field guide to the birds of your area (your local library should have one if you don’t) or a mobile bird ID app like Cornell University’s Merlin (or both). You’ll also need a way to record your observations. You can use a pencil and paper, but we highly recommend the eBird mobile app, developed by Cornell University and available free of charge. Since your observations will eventually need to be submitted electronically, using eBird from the start will streamline the process. If you’re a new user, download the app in advance to set up your account and familiarize yourself with the interface. If you already use Cornell’s Merlin Bird ID app and prefer to stick with that, that’s fine, too . . . however, your reports won’t be as detailed.
For more tips on starting to bird, check out our Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Birding.
Get Familiar with Your Local Birds
You don’t have to be a birding whiz to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count – it’s very much designed with casual birders in mind. It’s way more fun, though, if you take some time between now and the count to learn about the birds in your area. Those small brown birds that many of us call, generically, “sparrows?” Depending on where you live, they could be House Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows, House Finches, or any of a dozen or so other species. Field guides and mobile bird identification resources like Cornell’s Merlin will help you zero in on the differences between species. A bonus: as you learn more about locally common birds, you’ll be better able to pick out those that are less common, maybe even rare.
Choose Your Observation Spot
It’s the Great Backyard Bird Count, but what if you live in an apartment building or other setting without a backyard?. No worries! Your observation spot doesn’t have to be a literal backyard. It could be a local park or nature preserve, a shared courtyard, or even your rooftop. The important thing is that it be an easily-accessible location where you feel comfortable and safe observing birds.
Observe, Count (Optional, but Encouraged) and Record
During the event, commit to spend at least 15 minutes observing birds. You can do this just once, multiple times in a single day, or on multiple days; you’re also free to spend more time if you choose. You can observe from a single point or while walking, noting the distance you cover. In addition to distance, you should record the times you start and end. (If you’re using the eBird mobile app, it will do this for you.)
While observing, keep track of what species you see. If possible, also count the number of individuals of each species. Counting small, winged creatures can be tricky, of course. Birds have a frustrating tendency to fly away, return, then fly away again, leaving you wondering: was that five chickadees, or a single, very active one? Do your best to keep track of individuals, but also know that order-of-magnitude estimates are fine. Whether that flock of Canada Geese passing overhead consisted of exactly 30 birds or 27 or 32 doesn’t matter much in the scheme of things.
If you’re not sure what it is you’re looking at, even after consulting your resources, it’s fine to let a bird go unidentified. If you want, you can include a description or photograph in your checklist notes.
Submit Your Observations
If you’re already using eBird or Merlin, the sightings you submit during the Great Backyard Bird Count period will automatically be included in the count. If you want a bit more help with bird identification, the Merlin app walks you through the process step by step and gives you the option of jumping over to eBird to create a full checklist. Only eBird allows you to record counts; Merlin is limited to a list of species.
Not a fan of smartphone apps? You can enter your observations on your desktop or laptop – just go to ebird.org.
There’s an off chance that one or more of your observations will be unusual enough to trigger a flag, or even an email from a reviewer. Perhaps you’ve seen exceptionally high numbers of a common bird; perhaps a migratory species has decided to stick around out of season; or perhaps you’ve happened on a bona fide rarity for your area. If this occurs, you’ll be prompted to provide additional details. For instance, if you have a high count, how did you arrive at your number (counting individuals, counting by fives, estimating)? If you’ve seen an unusual species, what field marks led to your identification, and how did you rule out other, potentially confusing species? Don’t be offended if one of your observations is questioned - it’s not personal. Confirming unusual sightings is part of the scientific process and helps preserve data integrity.
Engage with your communities
This is optional, but highly recommended. Talking up the Great Backyard Bird Count face-to-face and on social media builds interest and excitement that supports broader participation, with all the associated benefits for you, your communities and the birds.
It’s fun, it’s easy, it’s good for the birds – and after two and a half decades, it’s still growing. The Great Backyard Bird Count is a great opportunity to spread the love of birds.