Participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count With Kids

Today is the first day of the annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), a four-day event that continues through Mon., Feb. 18, 2013. And beginning this year, checklists can be submitted from anywhere in the world!

As you know, we’re big fans of birds around here. Which is why we think other families should join the GBBC, too. Scientists use results from the GBBC (and other citizen science projects throughout the year) to better understand “the big picture” of what is happening to bird populations.

Earlier this week I reviewed three different binoculars for kids and suggested several ways to invite birds to your yard. Today, it’s time to talk about how to participate in the GBBC.

It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3.

1. Create a GBBC account.
You’ll need to create an account to participate in the event – even if you’ve participated in the GBBC before. It’s free and takes less than a minute.

2. Watch birds!
Count the birds you see for at least 15 minutes on one or more of the days. You can bird watch at the park, at your school or in your own backyard.

3. Report your findings online.
Click “Submit Your Bird Checklist” from the GBBC home page and share your results.

A few helpful resources for participating in the GBBC with kids:

• An online bird guide to help with identification
• Bird coloring pages & a word search
• Bird sounds matching game
• How to start a bird book
• Kid-friendly tips for backyard bird watching
• Online bird jigsaw puzzles
• Printable tally sheets for your local area
• Top 10 birds most frequently reported