http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221091827.htm
Great Backyard Bird Count Goes Global, Shatters Records
Feb. 21, 2013 — From Antarctica to Afghanistan, bird watchers from 103
countries made history in the first global Great Backyard Bird Count
(GBBC), February 15-18, 2013. In the largest worldwide bird count
ever, bird watchers set new records, counting more than 25.5 million
birds on 120,000+ checklists in four days -- and recording 3,144
species, nearly one-third of the world's total bird species. The data
will continue to flow in until March 1.
Building on the success of the GBBC in the United States and Canada
for the past 15 years, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon, and
Bird Studies Canada opened the count to the rest of the world for the
first time this year, powered by eBird, a system that enables people
to report birds globally in real-time and explore the results online.
Bird watchers are invited to keep counting every day of the year
atwww.eBird.org.
Cornell Lab director Dr. John Fitzpatrick says: "This is a milestone
for citizen science in so many respects -- number of species,
diversity of countries involved, total participants, and number of
individual birds recorded. We hope this is just the start of something
far larger, engaging the whole world in creating a detailed annual
snapshot of how all our planet's birds are faring as the years go by."
Audubon Chief Scientist Gary Langham: "People who care about birds can
change the world," said Audubon chief scientist Gary Langham. "That's
why this year's record-setting global participation is so exciting.
Technology has made it possible for people everywhere to unite around
a shared love of birds and a commitment to protecting them."
Other Key Preliminary Findings:
• Top 5 Most Reported Species (reported on highest number of
checklists): Northern Cardinal; Dark-eyed Junco; Mourning Dove; Downy
Woodpecker; House Finch
• Top 5 Most Common Birds (most individuals reported): Snow Goose;
Canada Goose; Red-winged Blackbird; European Starling; American Coot
• Finch Invasion: A massive number of northern finch species moved
into the U.S. including the Common Redpoll, reported in a record 36
states. Scientists believe these periodic movements are related to
natural fluctuations in crops of conifer cones and other seeds in
Canada.
• Hurricane Sandy: The weather system that caused Sandy's landfall
also blew some European birds to North America and evidence of this is
still showing up in GBBC results. The colorful, crested Northern
Lapwing was reported in Georgia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts during
the GBBC.
• GBBC First: A Red-flanked Bluetail has wintered at Queens Park,
Vancouver, and was also reported for the GBBC's first record ever.
This British Columbia bird has been drawing bird watchers from all
over the U.S. and Canada hoping to see this rarity. This little thrush
is one of the only birds in the world with a striking blue tail and is
native to Asia; the other GBBC report of this species this year was
from Japan.
For more information, visit www.birdcount.org.
The Great Backyard Bird Count is made possible in part thanks to
founding sponsor Wild Birds Unlimited.
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