Although many birds fly south for the winter, there are some birds that stick around. If you step outside, close your eyes and listen you are likely catch the sound of a flock of Canada geese or a marauding crow. You might even catch the twittering of a black-capped chickadee or the song of a winter wren.
This week’s the challenge is to watch the birds.
- Spend 15-20 minutes outside watching and listening to the birds.
- Try to identify any of the birds that you see or hear.
- Take a picture of a bird that you see.
- Submit your photo.
Bird Watching Resources
If need help identifying the birds you see, check out the free Merlin Bird ID App from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Just answer a few simple questions:
- When and where did you see the bird?
- What did it look like?
- What was it doing?
and the app will show you the most likely species for your area on that day. So what are you waiting for, get out there and watch the birds!!
Project Feeder Watch – Citizen Science Opportunity
If you want join thousands of people around North America counting birds, you should join Project FeederWatch.
Project FeederWatch is a November-April survey of birds that visit backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locales in North America. You don’t even need a feeder! All you need is an area with plantings, habitat, water or food that attracts birds. The schedule is completely flexible. Count your birds for as long as you like on days of your choosing, then enter your counts online. Your counts allow you to track what is happening to birds around your home and contribute to a continental data-set of bird distribution and abundance.
What are you waiting for? Get outside and watch the birds!
Don’t forget to take a picture of one of the birds you see and submit it to the 2021 Get Outside Nature Challenge.