Be part of the 30,000 people who are into birds and taking part in a massive effort to set a new world record on Saturday, May 4 – also know an as Global Big Day.
The goal: tally the greatest number of bird species ever seen in a single day.
Global Big Day is a free Cornell Lab of Ornithology event for anybody who likes birds and being outdoors.
Anyone can join the fun from anywhere.
Participants from 171 countries joined last year’s Global Big Day.
Every Bird Counts
When the counting was done, bird watchers reported more than 7,000 of the world’s approximately 10,000 known bird species.
That’s roughly two-thirds of all bird species, seen in a single day.
Team Global Big Day
A “big day” in the birding world means attempting to identify as many species as possible during a 24-hour period.
This is usually just one carload of people, but Global Big Day means everyone is on the same team.
“You don’t need to do a full day of birding—10 minutes, an hour, whatever time you can devote to bird watching on May 4 is great,” says Chris Wood at the Cornell Lab.
“Every bird counts.”
READ: Merlin Bird App Makes Birds ID a Snap
How to Join the Fun
Participation is easy, fun, and free.
Go to eBird.org to set up a free account (or get the app on iOS or Android).
Watch birds on May 4, and then enter your list at eBird. Watch in real-time as sightings from the world’s birders roll in.
Here are some other ways to get the most out of your Global Big Day:
- Use the Merlin Bird ID app to help ID species.
- Explore eBird Hotspots near you.
- Share the birds you see on social media with #globalbigday!
“Most of all,” says Wood, “Have fun, enjoy the birds you find, and share your sightings on eBird!”
Now get out and see birds!