Welcome to Project FeederWatch Count the birds at your feeders and become a citizen scientist White-breasted Nuthatch by Steve Delloff All across North America, thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds are participating in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s bird projects, including Project FeederWatch—these people are called “citizen scientists.” 1
What is Citizen Science? • Involves the public in professional research • Answers large-scale scientific questions • Promotes environmental Project participant awareness and Jamie Wright scientific literacy Classroom participants and Lab of Ornithology scientists From backyards and city streets to remote forests, citizen scientists represent the world’s largest research team. Because professional scientists cannot be everywhere at once, citizen scientists act as the eyes and ears for professional ornithologists. Data collected by citizen scientists are being used in a multitude of bird research and conservation efforts. Whether you are young or old, a seasoned birder or a novice, you can help the birds by becoming a citizen scientist. 2
What is Project FeederWatch? • Studying the distribution and abundance of feeder birds since 1987 • United States & Canada • Nearly 16,000 participants annually Points represent Project FeederWatch participants One of the longest running citizen-science programs at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is Project FeederWatch. Do you like to watch the birds that visit your backyard bird feeder? Perhaps you even keep a list of these birds. Although keeping track of the birds at your feeders may seem like nothing more than a relaxing hobby, you are actually collecting important information. By sending counts of the birds seen at your feeders to the Lab of Ornithology’s Project FeederWatch, you will be helping researchers to learn more about the distribution and abundance of feeder birds. Project FeederWatch is an annual survey of North American bird populations that visit backyard bird feeders in winter. Since 1987, thousands of bird watchers from across the United States and Canada have participated in Project FeederWatch. 3
FeederWatch data are used to…. Track the spread of disease Diseased House Finch 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 Monitor bird 0.5 movements 0 Common Redpoll by R. Belhumeur Year Measure feeder bird abundance This partnership between backyard bird watchers and ornithologists has resulted in a wealth of information, helping to increase our scientific understanding of feeder-bird populations. Data from FeederWatchers have helped scientists learn about changes in the distribution and abundance of feeder birds over time; expansions and contractions in the winter ranges of birds; how disease is spread through bird populations; and the kinds of habitats and foods that attract birds. 4
How to FeederWatch 1. Set up count site 2. Choose count days 3. Count the birds Black-capped Chickadee by C. Johnson 4. Submit data online Anna’s Hummingbird by H. Sareen Although the data that participants send to Project FeederWatch are used in rigorous scientific investigations, participating in the project is fairly simple, involving just a few basic steps. The following slides will take you step-by- step through the FeederWatch process. As you are watching, please consider joining the other 16,000 FeederWatchers across the continent. The greater the number of citizen scientists who contribute to the FeederWatch database, the more we can learn about winter bird populations. 5
Step 1: Set up your count site Your count site is • Comprised of bird- friendly habitat • Where your feeders are located • Easily viewed American Goldfinches and House Finch by C. Longworth The first step is to pick out your FeederWatch “count site,” a convenient place for you to observe and count birds, such as the area outside your kitchen window. Project FeederWatch is interested in the birds that are attracted by food you have provided, be it in the form of seed in feeders, or plantings such as berry bushes. FeederWatch count sites are not limited to a yard—you may count birds at any location with bird feeders, such as a nature center, a school, or a retirement home. 6
Step 2: Choose your count days • Count as often as once a week from November–April • Observation time is flexible • Keep track of time spent observing The FeederWatch season runs from early November through early April. Count periods are two consecutive days, during which you count the birds at your count site. You may count birds every week (for example on Saturday and Sunday), or less frequently. Watching your feeders does not have to be a full-time activity—some people can only watch for 15 minutes each day; others are lucky enough to be able to spend hours observing. Just be sure that you keep track of the time you spend watching your feeders. 7
Step 3: Count the birds You should count • Birds attracted to the feeders and plantings in your count site • Predatory birds attracted by birds at Birds on nyjer seed your feeders feeder by B. Brockman (hawks, shrikes, Cooper’s Hawk by S. Wright roadrunners) Birds at seed feeders, suet cages, and bird baths should all be counted, as well as birds feeding from the vegetation in your count site, such as fruiting trees and nectar-producing flowers. Very often birds of prey will be attracted by the activity at your feeders— these should also be included in your counts. 8
Step 3: Count the birds …but do not count: • Birds that fly over your count site • Birds that you observe on non- count days Canada Geese by J. Surman Although it may be tempting to record interesting birds that you see outside of your count site or on non-count days, FeederWatchers must follow the same rules when counting. This uniformity in counting methods ensures that the data you submit can be used for scientific research. 9
How to count Record the maximum number of each species seen at one time … M. Sorlie R. Riopelle Day 1: Two Evening Grosbeaks Day 2: Four Evening Grosbeaks Report four Evening Grosbeaks The FeederWatch counting method is designed to provide an “index of abundance” for each bird species. When you see a species feeding within your count site on your count day, you will record the maximum number of individuals in view at one time on your tally sheet. For example, if there are two Evening Grosbeaks at your feeder on day one of your count period, you will record these. If on day two of your count you see four grosbeaks, you will revise your tally sheet to reflect the larger number. At the end of your two-day count period, this number becomes your final tally for that species. In this example, you would record four Evening Grosbeaks. 10
Step 4: Submit your data Enter the maximum number of each species seen at one time during your two-day count. At the end of your two count days, you will transfer the data you recorded on your tally sheet to the online bird count form. Even if you are unfamiliar with computers, you will find that the FeederWatch data-entry system is very simple to use. If you do not have access to a computer, paper data forms are also available. 11
Weather and Effort What was the weather like during your counts? How much time did you spend watching your feeders? American Goldfinch in snow storm by C. Johnson FeederWatch researchers also want to know the predominant weather conditions during your counts and how much time you spent watching your feeders, as these factors will affect the number of birds seen. Very often, snow storms results in a fairly busy count site, as the birds have trouble finding food from natural sources. Rain can sometimes decrease feeder activity as the birds seek shelter from the weather. 12
Personal Count Summary Mary’s FeederWatch Counts Average Species Name Nov. 26 Dec. 10 Dec. 18 Group Size Mourning Dove 4 6 15 8.3 Blue Jay 3 3 2 2.7 House Finch 8 6 10 8 Dark-eyed 4 5 2 3.7 Junco Total Number 19 20 29 of Individuals A benefit of the FeederWatch online data entry system is that the information you enter is automatically tabulated and displayed in an easy-to-read format, such as the “Personal Count Summary” page seen here. FeederWatch participants find this feature particularly fun, as they can compare counts throughout the winter. After you have been FeederWatching for more than one year, the summary pages also allow you to compare counts from the same week in different years. 13
Results View changes in bird distributions over time 2002 2001 Your bird counts are added to the FeederWatch database, where they are used to track the distribution and abundance of birds across North America. For instance, FeederWatch data allow us to track Common Redpoll movements from year to year. Some birds, such as the Common Redpoll, spend their winters in remote areas of the Canadian boreal forests. In years when these forests produce a smaller seed crop, the birds will spend their winters farther south, where the food supply is better. From the maps seen here, we can infer that there must have been an adequate food supply in the far north of North America in 2001. In the following winter though, we can see that the redpolls have extended their winter range south into the northern portions of the United States. This is just one example of how FeederWatch data can be used to study the movement of bird populations. 14
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