The Great Backyard Bird Count

The more often we see the things around us - even the beautiful and wonderful things - the more they become invisible to us. That is why we often take for granted the beauty of this world: the flowers, the trees, the birds, the clouds - even those we love. Because we see things so often, we see them less and less.

- Joseph B. Wirthlin

Do you like to connect with Nature? Do you like Birds? Do you like their voices, plumage patterns, colours and antics? Do you consider yourself a Birdwatcher?

If you birdwatch, you pay closer attention to nature. Our pursuit of birds can take us to some pretty wonderful places, from a hidden patch of forest down the street, to a lush oasis in the Sonoran Desert, or to a giant slab of sea ice in Antarctica. This spirit of wandering in search of the air-borne has long been a very niche affair. However, this is no longer true. Organisations and events around the globe have included people from different walks of lives to celebrate this meaningful search. The Great Backyard Bird Count was born in the Cornell lab with the aim to join together communities from different parts of the world.

Each February, for four days, the world comes together for the love of birds. Over these four days people spend time in their favourite places watching and counting as many birds as they can find and reporting them to the Bird Count. These observations help scientists better understand global bird populations before one of their annual migrations. Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) was the first online citizen-science project (also referred to as community science) to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real time.

The annual snapshots of bird populations help answer a variety of important questions, including how birds are distributed across the country, how they are affected by changes in habitat and weather, and whether populations and distributions might be changing from year to year. It is being conducted in India since 2013 and participation has grown to a large extent. GBBC 2021 was perhaps the most memorable one to date in India.

This year the GBBC days spanned from February 18th to 22nd. To say that the avid bird watchers were excited would be an understatement. This year the excitement was unconfined, because for the very first time, MIT WPU conducted GBBC. Over 30+ species were spotted but the spotlight was stolen by the pale billed flowerpecker, Asian paradise flycatcher, red breasted flycatcher and small minivets. The birders used e-bird; an app developed by Cornell to keep the spotted species count in real time. The event served as a teaching opportunity to introduce people to the art of bird watching. They were taught to use a field guide, e-bird, to track calls and conduct ground survey. Around 10-15 students and teachers started their bird-search in the early sun-rise rays. It took almost 2 hours of walking and searching but the result was worth it.

The birders could spot a rare Asian Paradise Flycatcher as near as 6 feet, perching on a mango tree. That was indeed a sight to behold.

Asian Paradise Flycatcher

Red-Breasted Flycatcher

Pale Billed Flower-Pecker

Not only MITWPU, but simultaneously over the days of GBBC, CBC (campus Bird count) was also conducted at IISER Pune, Symbiosis, Fergusson College and at Garware college.

This community science project brings together like-minded people and produces data from across the world, helping in tracking and monitoring 1000s of bird species. It gives scientists and ecologists a way to improve habitats suitable for birds, to have data regarding the population and existence of bird species. GBBC plays a vital role in fostering global spirit and just goes to show that love for birds spans as far and wide and they migrate.

Authors : Nidhi Dhamne and Haritshva Shrivastava