The Great Backyard Bird Count was started in 1998 by Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. It was the first online citizen science project and was designed to tabulate all birds seen on one single day around the world.
Last year, observers from 200 countries and subregions participated, recording more than 8,000 bird species.
The occasion has really taken off over the years — ten years ago, only 100 countries took part, half the number in 2025.
The country spotting the most birds last year was Columbia, with a total of 1,377 species reported.
In the United States, people in 2025 identified more northern cardinals, dark-eyed juncos and house finches.
Lots of folks take part in this annual bird count. Last year, more than 800,000 people participated, creating some 655,549 Merlin Bird ID’s and 387,652 eBird checklists.
This year’s count is taking place February 13-16 and you can learn more at birdcount.org.
Finally, let me remind you that spring migration will soon be underway. The first chimney swifts and barn swallows start showing up in our area in late February. If you are a purple martin landlord, you might make sure any birdhouses you have are cleaned out and ready for occupancy.
And come March, the hummingbirds will come buzzing back! I have a black-chined male that has shown up at my place like clockwork for three years straight on March 17. That’s St. Patrick’s Day.
I think he may be Irish!
