BirdLife Australia’s National Bird Week, Aussie Backyard Bird Count held between 23-29 October this year is a major part of Bird Week celebrations As spring begins to bloom across Australia, BirdLife Australia has been busy preparing for National Bird Week—23-29 October—which includes the fourth Aussie Backyard Bird Count. National Bird Week—a tradition dating back nearly 100 years—celebrating the incredible variety of beautiful birds found in Australia. The Backyard Bird Count is an ideal way for bird lovers to experience them by taking part. Last year’s Aussie Backyard Bird Count saw a record 61,000 nature-loving Australians take time out from their busy schedules to count more than 1.4 million birds. BirdLife Australia is calling on all Australian bird lovers to join in the count again this October. Anyone who is interested in birds can join in. Whether you take part by yourself or in a group, every bird counted will help BirdLife Australia reach its target of 1.5 million birds counted in 7 days to smash last year’s record. With three years of data from the counts already collected by Australian birdwatchers, BirdLife Australia’s Sean Dooley says the results provide a picture of how our birds are faring, both locally and across Australia. “We are fortunate to have a wonderful array of birds in Australia, many that can’t be found anywhere else in the world,” Mr Dooley said. “The information we collect from the Backyard Bird Count each year not only shows how much Australians care about birds, but also provides clues to what’s happening with different bird species.” In 2016, Australian birdwatchers recorded more than 583 species, with the Rainbow Lorikeet, Noisy Miner and Australian Magpie topping the list of Australia’s most counted birds. The new, updated Aussie Bird Count app allows you to take part anywhere—not just backyards, but in local parks, botanical gardens, schoolyards or beaches—wherever you might see some birds. Download the app and join the count at aussiebirdcount.org.au. It’s easy! The national total will be updated in real time, and the app allows you to see which species are being seen in your local area.
Image: Georgina Steytler
