Fans of feathered friends, take note – a global survey of all things fowl and beaked begins today (2/17), and scientists want your help.
The Great Backyard Bird Count requires as little as 15 minutes a day through Monday, for folks to count avian species in their neighborhood.
Barbara Gleason is co-owner of two Wild Birds Unlimited stores in Eugene. She says the data gathered helps scientists learn how birds are faring in certain areas, including changes in population.
“And get a sense whether those changes are because of habitat loss, or climate change, or fires,” Gleason told KLCC. “And then there’s just the general changing of populations, that we don’t really know what is the cause.”
Gleason says besides her backyard, she’ll check out birds at the Delta Ponds. She says one that fascinates her is the Black Phoebe, which she says has become more and more common in this area of Oregon.
Additionally, an app called eBird can be used to track birds, if someone wants to go digital versus analog (notepad and pencil.)
Data can be shared on this event website: https://www.birdcount.org/participate/
The Great Backyard Bird Count is a joint effort among the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the National Audubon Society, and Birds Canada.
