The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is an annual event that takes place from February 17 to 20 and engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where birds are. This year, the GBBC was held in India and many other countries around the world.
In India, the GBBC was organized by the Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN) and supported by eBird India. The event was open to anyone interested in bird watching and conservation, including professional ornithologists, amateur birders, students, teachers, nature lovers and photographers. Participants were encouraged to submit their observations online through eBird India or through the IBCN website.
The GBBC is an important event for bird conservation as it helps scientists understand how different species of birds are distributed across different regions. It also helps them monitor population trends over time and identify areas that need more conservation efforts.
In India, the GBBC was a huge success with over 489 species of birds being reported from West Bengal alone! Karnataka also had 371 species of birds sighted during this exercise while Visakhapatnam was among the top three districts in Andhra Pradesh in terms of number of species reported.
The data collected during this event will help scientists better understand the distribution patterns of different species of birds across India and will be used to inform conservation efforts in the future. It will also help us gain a better understanding of how climate change is affecting bird populations around the world.
The GBBC is an important part of our effort to protect our feathered friends and ensure their survival for future generations. We can all take part in this effort by participating in events like these or simply by taking care not to disturb nesting sites or disturb wild birds when we are out enjoying nature.
We hope that more people will join us next year for another successful Great Backyard Bird Count!
