April 6, 2023 at 3:45 p.m.
2023 Great Backyard Bird Count results are in
More birders involved every year
2023 Great Backyard Bird Count results are in
Birders are simply ask to record their sightings, either in their own backyard, or at their favorite birding spot. They are asked to spend at least 15 minutes recording their sightings on a checklist. Checklists could then be submitted via the website, or using the eBird app.
eBird works in conjunction with another app called Merlin Bird ID. Users can either enter known birds using eBird, or get identification help by using Merlin Bird ID. The Merlin app allows even new birders to properly identify birds in their area by sound or appearance. Volunteer birders in the program can also upload photographs or videos of the birds they see as well as audio of bird calls they hear while monitoring their favorite birding spot.
2023 worldwide results
In all, for the 2023 Great Backyard Bird Count weekend, 7,538 species were identified. That is two-thirds of the known species of birds on the planet. Checklists came in from 202 countries this year. There were 390,652 checklists submitted as part of the Count and 372,905 Merlin Bird IDs. In total 151,479 photographs, videos and sounds were uploaded to the Count database in the Macaulay Library.
Countries experiencing the most growth in the program included Gambia, Angola, Kenya and the Caribbean Netherlands. Each of those countries increased their checklists by 50% or more over last year. The United States led the number of checklists at 236,904, which was up 1.2% from last year. In total US birders identified 311,736 birds using the Merlin Bird ID app. India was second in the number of checklists sent in with 57,774. This total was up 34.9% from the 2022 Great Backyard Bird Count. Thailand, with 1671 checklists, was up over 300% from last year.
In the United States, Californians recorded the most checklists, at 21,585. This was up 6.9% from last year. Birders also used Merlin Bird ID to identify 33,041 birds during the Great Backyard Bird Count this year. Wisconsin came in 16th of all states with 5,942 bird counts submitted, up 5.9% from last year. The Merlin Bird ID app helped with identifications 4,181 times over the weekend.
Birding in Wisconsin
All 71 counties in Wisconsin sent in checklists during the Count for 2023. Pepin County was the only county to not add a checklist to the database. According to the eBird website, 134 different species were observed by birders in the state. Dane County birders reported the most species at 92. Dane County also had, by far, the most checklists submitted, at 831. Milwaukee County was second with 76 species identified throughout 408 checklists.
In the Northwoods, Oneida County birders sighted 38 species on 71 checklists. A report from Sugar Camp stated there were 56 grosbeaks present in one location. Bohemian waxwings were also popular sightings over that weekend in February in Oneida County.
Vilas County birders were responsible for seeing 33 species during a total of 56 checklists being completed. Where songbirds were concerned 25 black-capped chickadees were reported on one checklist and 35 American goldfinch on another checklist. Another birder reported seeing 40 Canada goose during their time birding during the Count this year.
Full results of the 2023 Great Backyard Bird Count, as well as full local results, can be found on the website www.birdcount.org.
Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].
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