Continent-wide survey of backyard birds begins Saturday

Dark-eyed Junco, by Bob Vuxinic for Project FeederWatch

You have an opportunity starting this weekend to help scientists learn about the health of bird populations in North America while doing something you enjoy anyway: watching backyard birds at your feeder.

Project FeederWatch, a winter-long survey of birds that visit feeders, begins on Saturday, November 14, and continues until April 8.

By tallying the species and numbers of birds that come to your backyard, you will be helping wildlife biologists assess the patterns and numbers of winter bird populations.

Participation is flexible: You decide for yourself how often and when you count. The ideal plan is to count birds at a set time for two consecutive days. You decide how much time you wish to watch on a given day. You can begin any period until the end of February and continue until April 8. If you take a winter vacation, you can resume your count when you return.

The project is great winter entertainment for children and a good way for you to become better acquainted with the feeding habits of birds.

Downy Woodpecker, by Errol Taskin for Project FeederWatch

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada operate Project FeederWatch, which is now entering its 28th season. It's a companion to the Christmas Bird Count, which is  conducted during the holidays under the sponsorship of the National Audubon Society.

Project FeederWatch has generated a great deal of useful data. For instance, it alerted state officials in Florida that the population of Painted Buntings has been declining steadily. Armed with that information, the state has begun searching for ways to protect bunting populations.

"We learn so much from the information people report to us, and the data become more and more valuable as time goes by," said project leader Emma Greig.

There is an annual fee of $18 to participate (the fee covers part of the cost of the project). All new participants will receive a research kit in the mail. It explains how to conduct your count and how to report your results. You will also receive a full-color poster of common feeder birds and a bird-watching calendar to help you keep track of your count days. Next autumn, once all the data has been compiled and assembled, you will receive a 16-page report, "Winter Bird Highlights." You also will receive the Cornell Lab newsletter.

To enroll, visit the Project FeederWatch website at feederwatch.org. It will take a few weeks for your research kit to arrive in the mail.

Top 25 Backyard Birds Seen in Pennsylvania

During the 2014-2105 Project FeederWatch

1. Black-capped/Carolina Chickadee
2. Dark-eyed Junco
3. Northern Cardinal
4. Mourning Dove
5. Tufted Titmouse
6. Downy Woodpecker
7. White-breasted Nuthatch
8. American Goldfinch
9. House Finch
10. Blue Jay
11. Red-bellied Woodpecker
12. Carolina Wren
13. Song Sparrow
14. European Starling
15. White-throated Sparrow
16. House Sparrow
17. American Robin
18. Hairy Woodpecker
19. American Crow
20. Common Grackle
21. Pine Siskin
22. Purple Finch
23. Red-winged Blackbird
24. Brown-headed Cowbird
25. Cooper's Hawk