Organized by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, National Audubon Society, and Birds Canada, the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a global four day event in which people all over can enjoy the beauty of nature and birds. GBBC is an excellent way to contribute to community science while getting to know your local bird species. The Count began in 1998 and was the first online community science project aimed at gathering data on wild birds in real time. By 2013, GBBC became a worldwide event with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s launch of eBird (see below).
The goal of the GBBC is to encourage people to go out and explore their local bird species (not just limited to backyards) all the while contributing to community science. The invaluable data gathered can help inform scientists and conservationists of global bird populations prior to their spring migrations that will begin in a few weeks.
It’s easy to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count! Whether you decide to spend 15 minutes or hours birding, any data entered will provide crucial information to scientists around the world. Check out the additional information below to learn how to participate!
Here are the stats from 2021’s GBBC (https://www.birdcount.org/learn/annual-results/):
190 participating countries
379,726 eBird checklists
300,000+ estimated global participants
Participating with Community Science!
Data for the Great Backyard Bird Count should be submitted on eBird. eBird is a popular community science platform available as a free mobile app and website (https://ebird.org). The platform makes tracking your birding progress and finding hotspots a breeze. First, create a free account (eBird will ask for an email). To submit data to eBird via the app, click Start Checklist on the home page and enter a time (if different from the current time). Make sure Record Track is enabled if you want the app to track the distance you have traveled. From there, you can enter the birds species you see and the number. The app will track your distance and the time you spent birding. For more information on using eBird, visit eBird’s help Center at https://support.ebird.org/en/support/home.
eBird also works wonderfully with the Merlin Bird ID app by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The app is able to use AI (trained by community science!) to identify photos and sound recordings of birds. You can also enter information manually by describing the size, color, behavior, etc. of the bird you spot. For more on Merlin, visit https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org.
Where to Go
Next, decide where you are going to bird! This might include your backyard, a local park, a hiking trail, wildlife refuge, or state park. While you don’t have to go to specific locations every day, it’s fun to choose a place to go where you know you can find birds. Visit https://ebird.org/explore and enter your region (for LA, type in Los Angeles, CA). From there, you can find local hotspots, observed bird species, bar charts, illustrated checklists, and more!
Los Angeles is an excellent place to bird! Visit Top LA Hotspots for the top birding hotspots in Los Angeles. Some of the best (and most reliable) places to bird include Hahamongna Watershed Park in Pasadena, Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas, Sepulveda Basin in Van Nuys (part of the LA River), and Madrona Marsh in Torrance.
You can also visit my photography page (NFDZ Photography Page) for places I’ve birded in the LA area for additional ideas and more info.
Entering Data Into eBird
On the days of the Great Backyard Bird Count, have the eBird app at the ready! You can enter data on the eBird website manually (it unfortunately won’t track distance or time live like the app does). Enter the number of birds you see or hear for each location you bird. If you plan to bird one general location for a prolonged period of time or cover a great distance, it is preferable to enter the data in smaller chunks. This helps make the checklist more accurate and therefore better informs science and other eBirders. For more information on entering data (for both the app and website), you can reference the eBird Help Center (linked above and below).
Make sure when you have finished birding to submit the checklist for it to count as complete. You can manage your checklists on your eBird account. If you hop onto the website, you can add photos and audio recordings of the birds you see to an individual checklist as well. Photos and audio recordings not only help other birders and scientists, but also help to train Merlin Bird ID, which in turn helps birders!
What to See in LA County
Los Angeles offers an extremely diverse set of bird species to observe and habitats to explore! From the coast and canyons, to mountains and inland water bodies, LA provides a unique setting for birds. Whenever you look at a hotspot profile on eBird, you can find every bird species that has been reported there ( under all time in the app). You can also see the species observed there within the past 30 days and species considered “likely” to be observed. Be on the look out for birds considered infrequent (or even rare)! Below is just a general list of birds to watch for:
Common Backyard Birds
- Mourning Dove
- Anna’s Hummingbird
- Allen’s Hummingbird
- California Scrub-jay
- Red-whiskered Bulbul
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Bewick’s Wren
- Northern Mockingbird
- House Sparrow
- House Finch
- Lesser Goldfinch
- White-crowned Sparrow (migratory)
- California Towhee
- Spotted Towhee
- Audubon’s Warbler (migratory)
Local Parks
Ideas: Lacy Park, The Arboretum, Huntington Botanical Gardens
- Rock Pigeon
- Cooper’s Hawk
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Black Phoebe
- Vermillion Flycatcher
- Cassin’s Kingbird
- American Crow
- European Starling
- Western Bluebird
- Cedar Waxwing (migratory)
- Chipping Sparrow
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Brewer’s Blackbird
Areas with Water Bodies
Ideas: Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park, Peck Road Water Conservation Park, Wittier Narrows and Legg Lake, Sepulveda Basin, Malibu Lagoon
- Geese (Canada Goose, Domestic geese, weird domestic goose hybrids)
- Ducks (Gadwall, Mallard, Canvasback, Ruddy Duck, weird domestic duck hybrids)
- Grebes (Pied-billed Grebe, Clark’s grebe, Western Grebe)
- American Coot
- Black-necked Stilt
- Sandpipers (Least Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper)
- Greater Yellowlegs
- Lesser yellowlegs
- Gulls (Ring-billed Gull, Western Gull, California Gull)
- Forster’s Tern
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Egrets and Herons (Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night-heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret)
- Osprey
- Belted Kingfisher
- Red-winged Blackbird
Nonspecific Areas (Oak woodlands, chaparral, etc.)
Ideas: Hahamongna Watershed Park, Santa Fe Dam, Lower Arroyo Secco
- Hummingbirds (Anna’s and Allen’s)
- Acorn Woodpecker
- Nuttall’s Woodpecker
- Common Raven
- Mountain Chickadee
- Oak Titmouse
- Swifts and Swallows
- Bushtit
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet (migratory)
- Blue-gray gnatcatcher
- California Thrasher
- Hermit Thrush (migratory)
- Dark-eyed Junco
All Those Suggested Resources in One Place
- Great Backyard Bird Count homepage
- eBird
- eBird Help Center
- About Merlin Bird ID
- eBird: Explore Page
- Top LA Hotspots
Additional Resources
- Cornell Lab Bird Academy— eBird Essentials (FREE class)
- Great Backyard Bird Count— How to Participate
- National Audubon Society— How to Take Part in the Great Backyard Bird Count
- eBird News— Great Backyard Bird Count 2022—celebrate 25 years of birding!
The Takeaway
The Great Backyard Bird Count is an excellent way to explore your local hotspots and meet your local bird species. In addition, participating by entering data into community science platforms like eBird can provide invaluable information on bird populations and migration. Contributing to community science benefits us all: people and birds. Please consider participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count!
Thank you for taking the time to read this! Happy birding!
*All photos are mine except for the Great Backyard Bird Count poster image