Year of the Bird: Citizen Science

Birding is not just a fun hobby, birders can also help out science, by participating in Citizen Science. Since there are many more birders out there than scientists, scientists have developed programs where ordinary people can collect and share data on birds, and those data are then used by scientists to study and manage bird populations.

Such programs include the Christmas Bird Count, the Breeding Bird Survey, Project FeederWatch, and Project NestWatch. These programs have provided a lot of valuable data across the country, and some programs, like the Christmas Bird Count, have expanded into other countries. Look into what programs are available in your area, and see how you might help us scientists out!