Our common backyard species give us the best indication of the health of our natural environment – think of birds as a barometer for nature!

That’s why each October, people join in BirdLife Australia’s Aussie Backyard Birdcount by counting how many birds they see within 20 minutes in their backyard, local park, or any other area. This provides a snapshot at the same time each year, allowing BirdLife Australia to look at trends in our bird communities, and enabling you to make an important contribution to citizen science from your own home!

Especially important in 2020, the Bird Count is a fun, safe activity that can be enjoyed during COVID-19. Counting birds isn’t just a fun activity for you and the environment – spending time observing nature has been proven to provide benefits to mental health and well-being. All it takes is 20 minutes in your backyard, local park, or favourite outdoor space – anywhere you can count birds.

How to get involved:

• Register on aussiebirdcount.org.au – you can participate by yourself or in a group​
• Spend 20 minutes in your backyard, local park, or favourite outdoor space​
• Use the Aussie Bird Count app or the webform to record your count details, including the bird species you see and how many​
• Not sure about a bird? There is a field guide/bird search function on the app and website to help you​
• Once you’ve added your count, you will instantly be able to see live statistics from right around Australia – including the number of people taking part and the species counted!​

Count the birds that are counting on you – register now to be part of the nation’s largest annual citizen science event!