Oakland County
Naturalist Shares Facts and Tips in Advance of Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb 13-16)
Naturalist shares info and ideas forward of massive yard chicken rely (Feb. 13-16)
(Crystal A. Proxmire, February 10, 2026)
Berkley, MI – There are 10,906 recognized chicken species in your complete world, and final yr, in the course of the weekend of The Nice Yard Hen Rely, citizen scientists around the globe have been capable of document sightings of 8,078 of them.
The Nice Yard Hen Rely is a big effort to get a snapshot that can assist scientists who examine birds and their patterns. This mixed with year-round reporting from professionals and amateurs helps researchers be taught the perfect methods to guard the essential creatures and their position in Earth’s ecosystem.
To encourage individuals to take part, Benjamin Prowse, a naturalist with Oakland County Parks, gave a presentation on the Berkley Library. Prowse has shared particulars in regards to the Nice Yard Hen Rely, enjoyable chicken info and ideas for wannabe birdwatchers. This yr’s rely will happen from February 13 to 16 and everyone seems to be welcome to take part.
The rely started in 1998, initiated by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. In 2013 it grew to become a worldwide mission with 143,000 contributors. In 2020, participation skyrocketed as individuals seemed for methods to remain busy whereas social distancing in the course of the pandemic; and the discharge of the Merlin app in 2021 has additional fueled curiosity and accessibility.
Final yr, 838,113 individuals took half, collectively observing 74% of the world’s recognized chicken species in simply three days. Greater than 200,000 of these individuals have been in america, however different international locations have been additionally looking out onerous, with India, Canada and Australia shut behind.
Merlin Bird ID is likely one of the apps that Prowse recommends. Merlin is an identification device that additionally shares observations with the Cornell database. It identifies birds by sound or picture.
The eBird appadditionally from Cornell, tracks each observations and routes the person has taken. There are interactive maps and extra group enter, together with alerts for uncommon birds. eBird experiences additionally contribute information to the Nice Yard Hen Rely.
One other helpful app is Audubon Bird Guidean interactive subject information with a library of songs, vary maps, photographs, historical past and info about completely different species.
Prowse recalled a big day final Might when eBird issued an alert {that a} Yellow-breasted Warbler had been noticed on the Pink Oaks Nature Middle, the place Prowse works. “Everybody left work to return see it. Our parking zone was packed. It held on the roof of our nature heart for half the day and all these individuals have been standing round taking footage and including to their frames.”
Birders commonly make his work simpler by utilizing apps. “I are available at 9 a.m. and I have already got a report of what birds are in my park that day,” he mentioned.
The apps additionally assist individuals be taught extra in regards to the birds they see and listen to.
For instance, you may be taught that the Cowbird is a brood parasite. Meaning they’ve a behavior of knocking eggs out of the nests of different species and laying their eggs of their place. “The opposite birds can not acknowledge that these are usually not their eggs. The cowbird chick takes all of the assets away from the opposite birds within the nest,” Prowse mentioned.
Woodpeckers are additionally fascinating creatures. “Woodpecker tongues are tailored to understand or suck sap,” Prowse mentioned. “Their tongues additionally curl across the within their heads to melt it,” which explains how they will peck timber with such power.
One other truth that folks might not know is that many birds that migrate accomplish that at night time, utilizing the moon and stars for navigation. The environment is calmer at night time and the cooler air helps them fly extra effectively.
However when birds encounter gentle air pollution, it may trigger confusion and disorientation. Typically birds turn into ‘captured’ by gentle sources and fly round them endlessly till they fall from the sky, exhausted.
Turning off the lights is a good way to assist birds, particularly throughout occasions of heavy migration. Different methods Prowse shared to assist shield birds embrace putting stickers on home windows to stop birds from flying into them, preserving cats indoors, avoiding pesticides, ingesting shade-grown espresso that’s harvested with out harming the birds, defending the planet from plastic, and the easy act of watching birds and sharing what you see helps shield the inhabitants.
The Nice Yard Hen Rely is a good place to begin. Folks can watch birds anyplace, together with in their very own backyards and even in native parks. All you must do is solely watch and hearken to birds and doc them. Merlin and E-Birds are nice apps that mechanically contribute to the outcomes of the worldwide effort. Folks also can come by http://www.birdcount.org to be taught extra and share information.
“Think about nearly 1,000,000 individuals popping out and taking part in citizen science,” Prowse mentioned. “It is so hopeful when you consider it.”
Study extra about Oakland County Parks at https://www.oakgov.com/community/oakland-county-parks.
