Community Science Opportunities via MI Dept of Natural Resources

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Check out these upcoming community science opportunities hosted by MI Birds partners across the state:
pileated woodpecker on tree branch with snow in background
From the Michigan Department of Natural Resources - 

Another round of winter bird counts is on the horizon

The Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb. 15-18): This four-day event, coordinated by Audubon and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, invites people all over the world to record their bird observations in their own backyards for at least 15 minutes. All ages and birding levels are welcome, and you can participate in any or all of the four days. Last year, over 190,000 people participated in this global bird count, and Michigan was among the top 10 participating states, with a total of 3,890 checklists submitted.
Project FeederWatch (various dates, November through April): This winterlong community science project, organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada, is much like the Christmas Bird Count. Here’s what you need to know if you’re interested in participating:
  • All age levels and birding skills are welcome.
  • You can monitor your bird feeder as frequently or infrequently as you’d like; you create your own schedule.
  • You’ll need a bird feeder, bird bath or bird-enticing plants.
  • There is an annual participation fee of $18, which goes towards materials (your research kit, which will be sent to you), staff support, web design, data analysis and a year-end report.
  • Your research kit will include a welcome letter, a FeederWatch handbook and instructions, a full-color poster of common feeder birds and a bird-watching calendar to help track your FeederWatch days.

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