Great tits on a branch during winter in France

© Eric Ferry/Alam

Out on a limb for the Great Backyard Bird Count. Great Backyard Bird Count

This colorful foursome resting on a tree limb during a winter in France is a group of great tits, one of the most common bird species seen across most of Europe and Asia and in parts of North Africa. Belonging to the same family as North American chickadees, great tits are beloved for their colorful plumage and acrobatic antics while feeding in backyards and in gardens, which makes them an ideal mascot for the Great Backyard Bird Count.

Sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count occurs each year in mid-February. It began in the United States in 1998 but in recent years it's become a worldwide citizen science project. Anyone can participate, from novice birders to professional ornithologists. The findings collected in the Great Backyard Bird Count help scientists monitor bird populations around the world. Want to take part? Just count the birds you see in your area and share the results online between February 18-21, 2022. You'll be able to see all the data from around the world posted online in near real time. Happy birding!