What to Know
- The Great Backyard Bird Count flaps from Feb. 16-19, 2024
- Nature lovers are invited to observe what birds they see around their own homes and neighborhoods or further afield, then report the findings
- You'll share your observations via eBird or Merlin; this annual project helps researchers understand our local birds and migration patterns better
Thousands of people have their gaze set fast upon a certain nest near Big Bear Lake as the middle of February 2024 begins to dawn and for a delightful reason: The obsessed-over avian icons of the San Bernardino Mountains, Jackie and Shadow, are busily keeping their three eggs toasty.
And while we do adore those charismatic bald eagles, countless birds, both large and small, could use a little assistance from the earthlings that live close to the ground.
That assistance arrives in the form of a sizable project each winter, one that citizen scientists can participate in from anywhere in the world. It's the Great Backyard Bird Count, and it will once again extend its wings over four feathery days.
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Those days will take flight from Feb. 16 through 19, but you don't need to join the full run if you don't have the time. Just spend "as little as 15 minutes" to take note of which chirpers and squawkers and trillers are in your immediate vicinity.
Is that a swallow? A scrub jay? A crow? Southern California's vast realm of amazing birddom is truly a kingdom of birds, with owls, hawks, and goldfinches all living cheek-by-beak.
Well, perhaps not that cozily, but coming across an assortment of avian wonders during one walk in a park, the beach, or an arroyo, or spending 30 minutes in your yard or on your balcony, can produce plenty of spectacular plumage.
There's no cost to take part but you will want to submit what you've encountered and where by logging onto eBird or Merlin (this site has the information you need to get started).
By the by, if you aren't sure about what you are hearing, the Merlin Bird ID app can assist.
Hundreds of species were spied in California during the 2023 count, with the red-whiskered bulbul, snowy plover, and vermilion flycatcher all making colorful and/or vocal cameos in our region.
You can check out what birds were seen or heard where on the site, too, though the locations of endangered birds are not listed as protection.
The count began over a quarter century ago as a mutual project created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. Learn more and pitch in, bird lovers, when you take a break from watching your favorite bald eagle pair and their Big Bear Lake-adjacent antics.
