The love of wildlife and nature is a beautiful thing. Look outside and listen closely for the sounds of birds chirping, tweeting and trilling.
From cardinals to sparrows, bluebirds to warblers, woodpeckers to phoebes; they all call Kentucky home. This weekend people around the world can unite for the 29th annual Great Backyard Bird Count.
Slow down, look around, and count birds. It’s really that simple. Birds can be counted from a backyard, a favorite spot by the water or a nearby park.
Use the Merlin Bird ID or eBird apps to positively identify each bird that is encountered. Observations can be submitted at birdcount.org.
Last year more than 800,000 people worldwide participated in the annual event. A total of 8,078 bird species were identified, an increase of 158 from 2024.
Anyone can participate. Invite friends and family to join in the fun and see who can identify the most birds in their area. Go to birdcount.org/community-map to find your flock and join an event or create one closer to home.
The event runs from Friday, February 13 through Monday, February 16. Just 15 minutes one during the time frame of watching or listening and identifying the bird species is all that is required, but feel free to spend as much time as possible.
This is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, National Audubon Society, and Birds Canada with found sponsor, Wild Birds Unlimited. The data submitted helps improve conservation efforts.
Slow down and look up. Spending time outside bird watching can ease stress, spark curiosity and turn a winter day into something memorable. Maybe a bald eagle or a whip-poor-will is close by. Is a goldfinch or titmouse singing across the way?
After all, maybe Valentine’s Day really is for the birds.
