The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual community science project in ornithology. The event is supported by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. Birdwatchers around the world are invited to count and report details of birds in the area in which they live. Data collected is submitted in an online web interface, and compiled for use in scientific research. The GBBC was the first community science project to collect bird sightings online and display results in near real-time.

Participating is easy, fun to do alone or with others, and can be done anywhere you find birds.

Step 1: Decide where you will watch birds.

Step 2: Watch birds for 15 minutes or more, at least once over the four days, February 14–17, 2025.

Step 3: Identify all the birds you see or hear within your planned time/location and use the best tool for sharing your bird sightings:

• If you are a beginning bird admirer and new to bird identification, try using the Merlin Bird ID app to tell us what birds you are seeing or hearing.
• If you have participated in the count before and want to record numbers of birds, try the eBird Mobile app or enter your bird list on the eBird website (desktop/laptop).
• Check out our Fall Birdwatching Guide for a list of locations