Natural History Wanderings

from CornellLab of Ornithology

Last May, more than 30,000 people took to fields and forests around the world, noting more than 7,000 species in a single day—Global Big Day.

On 4 May, will you join more than 30,000 others and become a part of Global Big Day? You don’t have to commit to birding for 24 hours—an hour or even 10 minutes of watching birds makes you part of the team. Visit your favorite spot or search out someplace new; enjoy a solo walk or get some friends to join in the Global Big Day fun.

How to participate

• • Get an eBird account:eBird is a worldwide bird checklist program used by millions of birders. It’s what allows us to compile everyone’s sightings into a single massive Global Big Day list—while at the same time collecting the data for scientists to use to better understand birds. Sign up here.It’s 100% free.

• • Watch birds on 4 May:It’s that simple. You don’t need to be a bird expert, or go out all day long. Even 10 minutes in your backyard will help. Global Big Day runs from midnight to midnight in your local time zone. You can report birds from anywhere in the world.

• • Enter what you see and hear on eBird: You can enter your sightings via our websiteor—even easier—download the free eBird Mobile app. You can enter and submit lists while you’re still out birding, and the app will even keep track of how far you’ve walked, so you can focus on watching birds. While you’re downloading free apps, try out the Cornell Lab’s Merlin Bird IDapp for help with identification. Please enter sightings before 8 May to be included in our initial results announcement.

• Watch the sightings roll in: During the day, keep an eye on how the lists are growing in different parts of the world. Follow along with sightings from more than 150 countries, including the Cornell Lab’s Team Sapsucker in Florida, Alabama, and Texas. Stats will be updated in real-time on our Global Big Day page.

Global Big Day Pro Tips

• • If you’re looking for a new place to find birds, explore eBird Hotspots near you.

• • Use Merlin Bird IDfor help with tricky species.

• • Get together with friends and set a goal for your birding—most unusual species? biggest flock? all the species in your favorite family? The possibilities are endless.

• • Take photos and add them to your checklist—they might end up on the Global Big Day page!
  • Make your sightings more valuable: submit complete checklists, keep counts of the birds that you see, and keep multiple checklists throughout the course of your birding—if you get in the car, end that checklist and start a new one when you get to the next location.

• Share what you’re seeing on social media with #globalbigday!

Last year’s Global Big Day set a new record, with 7,025 speciesreported in one day. On 4 May, we hope you’ll be a part of birding’s next world record. And no matter what you do, have fun, enjoy the birds you find, and share your sightings on eBird. Because in our world, every bird counts.