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When it is too cold and blustery for you to travel to the wilds, you do not have to forego the pleasures of birdwatching. Get yourself involved with Project Feeder Watch to engage with the birds and wildlife right in your neighborhood.

FeederWatchers count the birds they see at their feeders during specific winter months and report their sightings to Project FeederWatch. The data from these many observers is very helpful for scientists who are tracking overall movements of winter bird populations. Project FeederWatch is survey of birds that visit feeders at backyards, nature centers, etc. in North America in the winter months. Because of the large amounts of data gathered by volunteer citizens, scientists can now see long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance for many species.

It started with one nature center and is now an international event. What a dramatic and simple technique to bring the average person into authentic and valuable scientific research. FeederWatch does effectively monitor the activities of many winter bird populations.

Cornell University Ornithology Lab manages Project FeederWatch in partnership with Bird Studies-Canada, the National Wildlife Federation and Audubon Society and has many contributing members and partners beyond their borders. The nominal registration fee in the US is $12 and in Canada is $35. It is amazing what those small fees can accomplish. The fees include materials, staff support, data analysis and an annual report of results.

What do participants actually do? Watch birds coming in to their feeders. Each bird watcher identifies the site where they will be counting birds. To prevent duplication and confusing results, you report only the highest number of individuals that you see in view at one time. That prevents a lot of repetition and duplication.

When does this happen? For the past 13 years, Project FeederWatch has been starting on the the second Saturday in November. The project continues for 21 weeks into early April. Additional bird counts of interest and merit include the Christmas Count and the Great Backyard Bird Count. After February it is too late to register for this year’s count, but not too early to register for next year.

Serious birdwatchers use this program to really focus on improving bird identification skills. Actually, that is also true for the beginning birder. Observing birds often and up close really helps you see very specific characteristics. Many birdwatchers count once a week and report their data online. The minimum commitment is to count birds two days in a row every two weeks.

Today there are more than 15,000 birdwatchers in the Project FeederWatch program, but it started out with just 500 members in Ontario in the mid-1970s. During the first year of its international scope there were 4000 birdwatchers reporting from Canada to Hawaii. The resources provided are ideal for teachers and bird lovers. Their identification materials and newsletters are exemplary.

Be a proactive birder. Get involved with local bird counts. Identify birds rapidly birds quickly with Donna Bessken’s BirdWatching ECourse. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service