The Great Backyard Bird Count is led by the Cornell Lab or Ornithology and National Audubon Society with sponsorship from Wild Birds Unlimited.  This annual four-day event is for birdwatchers of all ages to help create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent.

Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts.  Count birds at as many places and on as many days as you like - just keep a separate list of counts for each day and/or location.  Count birds in your backyard or anywhere you choose during this four-day period.  Tally the highest number of birds of each species seen together at any one time

To report your counts, fill out an online checklist at the Great Backyard Bird Count web site (www.birdsource.org).  As the count progresses, you can see what is being reported and how this year’s numbers compare with previous years.  You can send in photographs of the birds you see or view posted photos on the web site. The American Robin was the most commonly observed species, with over two million sightings in the 2007 count.