Join Project FeederWatch with The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Have you ever wanted to contribute to bird conservation? If so, did you know you can do just that from the comfort of your own backyard?

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, in conjunction with BirdStudies Canada, runs a program called Project FeederWatch which enables regular, everyday birdwatchers to participate in a national bird count. It began in the mid-1970s with 500 participants and now has over 15,000 participants. According to its website, Project FeederWatch is “a winter-long survey of birds that visit feeders at backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locales in North America. FeederWatchers periodically count the birds they see at their feeders from November through early April and send their counts to Project FeederWatch.” The data collected “helps scientists track broadscale movements of winter bird populations and long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance.”

Anyone can participate in Project FeederWatch; all that’s required is an interest in birds. People of all birding skill levels participate including children, families, individuals, classrooms, retired persons, youth groups, nature centers, and bird clubs. To join Project FeederWatch, click here. 

There is a small annual participation fee of $15 to join, which helps pay for materials, staff support, web design, data analysis, and a year-end report (Winter Bird Highlights). Project FeederWatch is supported almost entirely by these fees so without the support of its participants, it wouldn't be possible for the project to continue.

Once joined, “participants receive a Research Kit, which contains instructions, a bird identification poster, a wall calendar, a resource guide to bird feeding, and a tally sheet—everything you need to start counting your birds. U.S. participants receive a subscription to the Lab of Ornithology’s newsletter, BirdScope, while Canadian participants receive Bird Studies Canada’s quarterly publication, BirdWatch Canada.” The Research Kits are shipped in the fall unless you sign up during the FeederWatch season, then it is shipped two weeks after you sign up. You must provide your own birdfeeders and birdseed.

Next, you need to designate a “count site” where you’ll consistently observe and count your birds. For your “count site” it’s easiest to choose obvious boundaries like a yard. Once you’ve decided on the “count site,” it’s time to start counting!

To count your birds, you will count birds that appear in your count site due to something you’ve provided such as plantings, food, or water. For each species of bird, only report the highest number of individuals you see in view at one time. By following this procedure, The Cornell Lab of Ornithology trusts that you will be certain to avoid counting the same bird twice. The amount of time you spend collecting data is completely up to you: bird-count days can occur in two consecutive days once every two weeks or once every week; it just depends on your preference. Afterwards, report your data either online on the website or by mail with paper data forms. The counting season runs each winter from the second Saturday in November to the first Friday in April. Sign-ups are accepted until February 28^th for the current counting season and begin on March 1^st for the upcoming counting season.

Project FeederWatch is an excellent way to get involved with bird conservation on the most basic level and have a large impact. The results of the data collected “are regularly published in scientific journals and are shared with ornithologists and bird lovers nationwide.” The data enables scientists to see where birds are as well as where they are not, thereby enabling scientists to generate the most accurate population maps. Furthermore, this data helps scientists track downward trends of birds facing decline and reveal which species may need special protection. So, get outside and get counting!

*All information regarding Project FeederWatch from “About FeederWatch” page.