The Aussie Backyard Bird Count Is Your New Excuse to Stare at Nature in Your Street or Local Park
Head outside, see how many winged creatures you can spot and help BirdLife Australia better understand the country's local birdlife.
Every five years, Australia undertakes a national census to collect information about everyone in the country. It focuses on people, obviously. But a similar annual initiative takes a snapshot of the nation's birdlife — and, in the perfect event for a year that's seen us all literally spending plenty of time in our own backyards, you can take part.
It's called the Aussie Backyard Bird Count, a descriptive moniker that tells you exactly what you'll be doing. From Monday, October 19–Sunday, October 25, all you need to do is head outside — into your yard, out on your street, at your local park, at the beach or wherever else you're likely to spy some birds — and spend 20 minutes counting all the winged creatures you can see. You'l need to note not only the number of birds, but also the types of each species.
By spotting everything from magpies, rainbow lorikeets and kookaburras to whatever that bird is that sits outside your window and trills noisily to wake you up each morning (we've all been there), you'll be helping out BirdLife Australia, the country's largest bird conservation organisation. In its effort to stop bird extinctions and protect birdlife in general, the charity is committed to better understanding which flapping critters are found where throughout the nation. So, with that in mind, it has been running the Aussie Backyard Bird Count since 2014.
To participate in the countrywide bird survey, you can either submit your count online via the event's website, or download the free Aussie Bird Count app and provide your data that way. BirdLife Australia asks that you only count birds that you can identify, rather than guessing what type of bird is fluttering around your yard — but both the website and the app include a field guide to help.
Sydney Park Wetlands, City of Sydney
The Aussie Backyard Bird Count runs from Monday, October 19–Sunday, October 26. For more information, visit the event's website.
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