Project FeederWatch: Count Feeder Birds for Science!

Project FeederWatch is a North American citizen science initiative that started at the Long Point Bird Observatory in Ontario, in 1976, with the Ontario Bird Feeder Survey. In 1987, Cornell Lab of Ornithology expanded the program across the entire continent. Named Project FeederWatch, the program is now a joint venture between Cornell and Birds Canada and boasts over 20,000 participants who systematically survey about 100 species of winter feeder birds. This initiative has been a heartening example of both the popularity of bird feeding as well as how feeder watchers are contributing to science.

Project FeederWatch runs between November and April of each year and entails the counting of birds at feeders or in any other areas where birds are attracted to the provision of plantings or water. With a flexible schedule and the ease of online data entering, the project efficiently enables the public to make important contributions to the Project FeederWatch continent-wide data set.

While Project FeederWatch receives an annual donation by Wild Birds Unlimited, it is almost entirely supported by participants. Canadians can join the program by donating any amount to Birds Canada. In return, contributors receive tools to track and learn about local birds. They also receive an annual year-end summary. People from all skill levels—from families and school classes to expert birders—are invited to participate.

The scientists with Project FeederWatch analyze the massive amount of data submitted through the online portal to determine which bird species visit feeders and how many individuals of each species are seen. From these data, they can measure weekly as well as long-term changes in abundance of each species. The data reveals the timing and extent of winter irruptions, winter range contractions and expansions, the kinds of food and other factors that attract winter birds, and how diseases spread among feeder birds. Most importantly, the data can detect and evaluate long-term population trends.

The Project FeederWatch website is filled with interesting information about the identification and biology of winter birds, types of food to offer, feeder style analyses, and how to deal with challenges.

An annual summary of the top 25 feeder bird species is also provided. The 2023-2024 list for Saskatchewan is shown below. Not surprisingly, the Black-capped Chickadee topped the list as the most common feeder bird in the province while coming in at #25 was the Ruffed Grouse. Only 66 SK participants submitted data last year. Hopefully more bird lovers will become involved this year!

Project FeederWatch website: https://feederwatch.org/

Birds Canada https://www.birdscanada.org/