Count the birds in your backyard

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.

Crimson-backed Sunbird
| Photo Credit: Subhadra Devi

Mittal adds that such initiatives create snapshots of bird diversity across India and the world, and helps one appreciate the wonderful diversity of the world’s birds. “These data provide insights into how the world’s birds may be faring over time. We have been able to answer some basic questions like — what is the most common bird in India? It is the common myna, in most regions,” says Mittal.

Last year, the three most common birds reported in India are common myna, red-vented bulbul and rose-ringed Parakeet. India also ranked second in the world in number of species documented during the event. As a result of this, a State of India’s Birds report (https://www.stateofindiasbirds.in/) has been created. It is a comprehensive assessment of distribution range, trends in abundance, and conservation status for most of the bird species that regularly occur in India.

The first GBBC was launched in the US in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society to create real-time data on wild birds. In 2013, the event went global by encouraging birdwatchers to enter their observations on eBird. Across India, birders will conduct walks, online talks, and other awareness activities for the general public, keeping in mind current COVID-19 safety protocols.

White-throated Kingfisher
| Photo Credit: Subhadra Devi

While participation in previous years was largely restricted to South Indian states, there has been an increasing interest from other parts of the country in 2021, especially from Western Himalayas, Central India and Gujarat. Every year, birders from Tamil Nadu contribute to the GBBC in a big way, especially from places like Salem largely due to outreach efforts planned by regional birdwatchers and groups. This year, Salem, Chennai, Coimbatore, and Puducherry have planned bird walks and online talks for various age groups. 

Campus bird count
| Photo Credit: Meghna Joshi

From 202 people who participated in the first GBBC event in India in 2013, the number rose to over 3000 in 2021. “The number of species documented in India stands at 965 in 2021. We hope to reach 1000 species this year. We want to convey the message that birdwatching is a hobby where people can make significant contribution to a collective understanding of birds. This is immensely useful for conservation,” explains Mittal.

In India, the GBBC is coordinated by Bird Count India, an umbrella group of a large number of birding, nature and conservation organisations. The global GBBC is organised by Cornell University and the Audubon Society in the US. More information about the GBBC, CBC, and other associated events in India can be found at Bird Count India website. To know more, visit birdcount.in