Annual Great Backyard Bird Count

BirdNote^®
Annual Great Backyard Bird Count
WrittenbyEllen Blackstone

This is BirdNote!

[Mixed flock including Black-capped Chickadee and Downy Woodpecker]

This weekend is the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Birdwatchers across the country count birds in parks, fields, and back yards, and then report the numbers on-line. [Caw, caw of the American Crow] 

Although it may seem that crows are everywhere, the beautiful Northern Cardinal is reported on the most lists nearly every year, far above the crow [Northern Cardinal]. Well, if there’s a male cardinal at your feeder, it is pretty hard to miss! [What-cheer]

Birds reported in the highest numbers last year were Snow Geese, with Canada Geese not far behind. [Sounds of Snow Geese LNS #61210, W.W.H.] 

The Great Backyard Bird Count provides a snapshot of the state of the birds across the country. It helps scientists understand the distribution of bird populations, and alerts them to possible declines of species. [More mixed flock]

If you can recognize your common local birds, join the count. You can start right this minute, and report your tally online. 

You’ll find the link and more information on our website, BirdNote.org. I’m Michael Stein. [Steller’s Jay]

Support for BirdNote comes from Seattle’s Portage Bay Café & catering. Serving food raised sustainably to help preserve the soil and environment. Info at portagebaycafé.com.

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Bird calls provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Black-capped Chickadees 117803 by S.R. Pantle, Downy Woodpecker 62757 by William Gunn; Northern Cardinal 105598, and American Crow by Geoffrey Keller. 
BirdNote's theme music was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
Producer: John Kessler
Executive Producer: Dominic Black
© 2016 Tune In to Nature.org        February 2015/2018/2020       Narrator: Michael Stein

ID# 021706count/gbbc-05-2012-02-17