Count the birds in your garden in one hour and participate in the “Great National Garden Bird Count 2023”.

For the 11th year in a row, the National Museum of Natural History and the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO) invite you to participate in the “Great National Garden Bird Count 2023” on January 28 and 29. The principle is simple: for one hour, count the birds in your garden or in a park or public garden, or even on your balcony. These data are compiled every year and allow scientists to learn more about “common birds”.

Counting garden birds is done to help scientists understand when and why birds visit gardens. Why do migrants return early in early summer? Why are seed-eating birds more likely to visit feeders in orchards near agricultural plains where wild seeds are lacking in winter? Or how does urban development affect the ability of birds to live in cities? Many questions will be answered thanks to the contributions of the participants two years of operation.

In January 2021, 541,442 birds were observed in 17,260 participating gardens during this ninth national count weekend! A figure that has never been so high and even in connection with the success of the operation “Restricted but in search”, which envisages participation in 2020. The largest attendance recorded since its inception in 2013!

Of course, these numbers must be correlated with the health status of COVID: +44% of counted participants between 2019 and 2020.

Participation has grown every year, reaching a record high of more than 10 since 2012. 24,048 contributors at last count in January 2022.

For 10 years, the operation is carried out at least once a year in nearly 100,000 gardens spread throughout the metropolitan area from Leffrinckoucke (North) to Cerbere (Pyrénées-Orientales) and Conquet (Finistère) to Furiani (Upper). Corsica). Approximately 6.5 million birds were counted during approximately 115,000 hours of observation. !

This unique database now allows scientists to study the population dynamics of common birds that frequent gardens and compare them to trends observed by monitoring programs. ornithological monitoring carried out by specialists.

In May 2022, the trend is reversed. Only 3,894 gardens were listed and 3,786 volunteers participated in this event, ie. 1% less than the previous year. Note that this is the second time in 10 years that the number of contributors has decreased. Admittedly, a 1% drop isn’t huge, but it’s worth noting that this number comes after 2 specific years in terms of participation. So it makes sense that the pace should slow down a bit now.

It follows from the observations of these years that a a decline in thrushes, bluebreasts or eastern bullfinches in May and More rose-ringed parakeets, jackdaws or wood pigeons in January.

Over the past ten years In spring, 41% of the bird species observed in French gardens decreased in number, while half of them observed an increase in their population in winter.

Data confirming the decline associated with the global destruction of natural ecosystems already observed elsewhere. This is, for example Common Swift (-46%), victims of pesticide-induced disappearance of flying insects, repeated heat waves and renovation of buildings that reduce nesting opportunities under roofs.

On the contrary, the results of the winter census show an increase in almost half of the species, especially granivores. (e.g. European measles, finch), but their national population is in sharp decline. This judgment especially in intensive agricultural areas can be explained by the lack of food resources and the transfer of these birds to gardens.

For LPO President Allain Bougrain Dubourg : “Participatory sciences now allow as many people as possible to actively contribute to natural science knowledge. The success of the garden bird observatory demonstrates the usefulness and reliability of these counting operations, as well as the interest of the French in local nature.”

Thus, the success of this observatory appears to be a strong signal of civil society’s growing commitment to the scientific community.

For Bruno David, president of the National Museum of Natural History

LPO France dated January 24, 2023

For Bruno David, president of the National Museum of Natural History: “It is a matter of inventorying nature to better understand nature through participatory science programs and to contribute to the sustainable conservation of this common heritage. Thus, the success of this observatory appears to be a strong signal of civil society’s growing commitment to the scientific community.“.

How to participate?

Nothing could be simpler to contribute:

• Select the calculation day, Saturday 29th or Sunday 30th January and one hour gap. Prefer late morning or early afternoon: temperatures are slightly warmer and birds are more active;
• Find a viewing spot in a city or a village. Public or private garden, balcony, yard…
• Count and record within 1 hour names of birds that visit the garden. Note: don’t just count the species observed in flight, but rather take them into account maximum number of birds observed simultaneously. From them identity cards It is available on the observatory’s website and will help you identify bird species more easily.
• Finally, enter your details on the Garden Bird Observatory website.