EnglishPaso Pacifico rangers kicked off Global Big Day across twenty-two locations with fifty enthusiastic citizen scientists. From dusk to dawn, the rangers documented a total of 233 species!
Global Big Day is an opportunity for bird enthusiasts across the globe to participate in citizen science. Founded in 2015, this celebration of birds has continued in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic, with some adjustments, of course.
With various supplemental apps and countless species to see, participating in Global Big Day may feel intimidating as a novice birder. But there’s good news: birding gets easier the more you do it. And with our helpful guide below, you’ll be on your way to becoming a birder at ease.
Why Citizen Science Matters
Citizen science can be described as the general public participating in scientific research. In this case, it plays an important role in helping scientists learn more about birds, but general citizen science is cool for more reasons than one.
First, it means people are engaged and interested in being conscientious citizens. Input from everyday citizens can help scientists understand more about the subject they are studying, whether it be plants, water, or in our case, birds!
Second, anyone can participate. There’s no deep knowledge of the subject required. A genuine curiosity is sufficient reason to get involved.
Third, citizen science benefits everyone. Whether it be known to participants or not, their involvement is part of a larger movement which will help shed light on important issues.
How to Celebrate Global Big Day
There are a few things you can do to prepare for Global Big Day.
Get on eBird: eBird is a free online application used by millions of birders worldwide. The program, made by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, serves as a constantly updating database that compiles citizen science data to help scientists understand the status of birds. You don’t have to be a professional birder to make an account, but your data uploads will help scientists get a better understanding of what’s happening.
Get some practice in before Global Big Day: Familiarizing yourself with the app before Global Big Day can help save you some trouble. You can use the app any time of year to help document the birds you see. After you’ve downloaded the app on your phone or opened a window tab, enter your sightings via the website or the mobile app.
Find a group or bird alone on Global Big Day: No matter your location, there’s likely a few birding groups in your area that would be happy to gain a new member. Birding alone can be fun, but birding with others that are familiar with the species in your area can also be a great learning experience. Check out the Audubon Society in your town.
How to Support Paso Pacifico on Global Big Day
If you aren’t able to participate in Global Big Day next year, you can still show your enthusiasm for birds by supporting Paso Pacifico rangers and Junior Rangers! Our team gathers citizen scientists every year to help in the bird count, and you can feel good knowing that your donations are making a difference in the lives of youth and protectors of the environment.