The Wildlife Center of Virginia shared backyard birding, citizen science events

Every February, people all over the globe take to their backyards to participate in one of the world’s largest citizen science projects—the Great Backyard Bird Count! The Great Backyard Bird Count is a fun and engaging event that takes place in February. Participants are asked to take 15 minutes (or more) during this four-day period to count the birds they see or hear and report their findings to birdcount.org. This “global snapshot” helps wildlife biologists learn more about bird populations and how to protect them. Anyone can participate, whether you are a beginner, a long-time bird enthusiast, or are simply looking for an excuse to get out in nature.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Great Backyard Bird Count, which will take place from Friday, February 18 through Monday, February 21. To celebrate, join the Center on its live events channel throughout the month for a collection of themed virtual programs:

• On Thursday, February 10 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern, Public Affairs Manager Alex Wehrung will host a conversation with two self-described “fledgling birders”, Allison Wehrung and Lacy Kegley. Topics include discussions on their introductions to the hobby, offerings of advice for fellow backyard birders, and sharing lessons they’ve learned in the field. The event will take place virtually on both the Center’s live events page and Facebook.
• On Tuesday, February 15 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, Outreach Coordinator Connor Gillespie will be interviewing a very special guest. Becca Rodomsky-Bish, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s project leader for the Great Backyard Bird Count, will discuss the history of the Great Backyard Bird Count, its importance, and what you can do to become involved. The event will take place virtually on both the Center’s live events page and Facebook.
• On Thursday, February 25 at 6:00 p.m. Eastern, explore the brilliance of birds and delve into the mysteries of the avian brain with Jennifer Ackerman, author of the international bestseller, The Genius of Birds. Along the way meet Ambassador Animals from the Wildlife Center of Virginia with the organization’s President/Co-Founder Ed Clark and Senior Vice President Amanda Nicholson. The event will take place virtually on both the National Sporting Library’s and the Wildlife Center’s Facebook pages.

The Wildlife Center of Virginia invites the public to visit their Event Calendar page to find more information on when and where to watch the programs: wildlifecenter.org/events

Advice on how to tell if an injured bird is in need of rescue, tips to keep wild birds safe near your home, and more information can be found year-round on the Center’s Wildlife Help and Advice page: wildlifecenter.org/wildlife-help-and-advice