May 4 is Birding’s Global BIG Day
On Saturday, May 4, people around the world will take part in one of the birding community’s largest Citizen Science events: the Global BIG Day.
During this 24 hour ornithological extravaganza, professional and amateur birders will scour the woods and fields, lake shores and meadows, rivers and coasts, mountains and valleys – pick a habitat, birders will be there! – to see how many of the planet’s avian species can be found in a single day. The BIG Day is timed to coincide with the spring migration, so there is opportunity to see some unusual birds.
You don’t need to commit to watching for a full 24 hours! Bird for as long or short a time span as you like; bird at one location or many locations – the choice is yours!
More information about the event, including how to participate, can be found at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird web site.
Fun birding fact: “bird” can be used as a verb (it is a shortening of “go birding”).