Do you want something fun and interesting to do over the weekend? Start counting the birds in your backyard as the annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is back. The biggest bird-o-thon begins from February 18 to February 21, where participants can count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) from a particular location on one or more days of the four-day event. Then, upload their sightings online on eBird (www.ebird.org/india) , the world’s largest biodiversity-related citizen science platform.
The event attracts those new to birding, young and old, from someone who is picking up binoculars for the first time to an experienced birdwatcher. “The main aim is to get people excited about birdwatching by making it a fun, free and accessible event for everyone,” says Mittal Gala, project coordinator with Bird Count India.
Many people develop an interest in birdwatching and bird monitoring after GBBC, leading to a greater participation in science and conservation initiatives in the future. Along with GBBC, there is also the Campus Bird Count (CBC), an effort to regularly monitor birds that make their home in educational and institutional campuses, and outside protected areas such as national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
