Great Backyard Bird Count Begins Feb.14; More Than 7,900 Species Were Identified In 2024

Great Backyard Bird Count begins Feb.14; more than 7,900 species were identified in 2024

Siberian Stonechat in Israel, left, Pied Cormorants in Australia, center, Adelie Penguin in Antarctica, right (Photos by Parmil Kumar, Andy Gee and Steve B, Macaulay Library)

The global Great Backyard Bird Count is almost here. Spotters can begin counting and reporting all the birds they see or hear beginning on Friday, Feb. 14. Last year, more than 210 countries or subregions spotted approximately 7,920 of the world’s known bird species.

This year the count will run from Feb. 14 through Monday, Feb. 17 as the GBBC celebrates its 28th year of magnificent bird sights and sounds. During last year’s count, GBBC participants shared 164,740 media uploads, including photos, videos, chirps, songs and squawks. Delightful images from around the world made up more than 159,967 submissions.

In 2024, the global community donned their bird goggles and rekindled their love of ornithology. The U.S. tallied 212,673 checklists and identified 676 species. India flew into second place, with 65,111 eBird submissions. Canada was third with 31,151 eBird checklists and 14,049 Merlin sightings.

This year promises to be as fun-filled and educational as bird watchers flock together with their tallies, photos and shared “rare finds.” Participation is simple:

• Count birds on one or more days of the four-day event and report their sightings using Merlin Bird ID or eBird on mobile or computer.
• Anyone can take part in the count, from beginning bird watchers to experts, and you can participate from your backyard or anywhere in the world.
• Count birds you see or hear for 15 minutes or as long as you want.
• If you are a beginning bird admirer and new to bird identification, try using the Merlin Bird ID app to tell us what birds you are seeing or hearing.
• If you have participated in the count before and want to record the number of birds, try the eBird Mobile app or enter your bird list on the eBird website (desktop/laptop).
• Visit the official website for more information and check out the latest educational and promotional resources.
• On the program website, participants can explore real-time maps that show what others are reporting during and after the count.