Research Guides: Birds: Citizen Science

Citizen Science

"Citizen science" is the name given to research data collection performed by volunteers who work for free in aid of scientific research.

As Allison Cusick, Ph.D candidate at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, notes:

“When you collaborate with people who aren’t scientists, you gain a whole community of people who are invested in the project.” (Quoted in T.W. Goodman, Washington Post, Dec. 2020)

Get involved and help advance scientific research from your home!

Americans are Observing Nature During the Pandemic, Helping Scientists with Research (C. Peterson, National Geographic, Sept. 2020)
This article from National Geographic discusses the increase in participation seen by a number of citizen science projects related to the pandemic, which helps scientists whose field research was canceled for the same reason.
Citizen Science Allows Laymen to Contribute to Groundbreaking Investigations, Even Without Traveling (T. W. Goodman, Washington Post, Dec. 2020)
A cruise ship adds a route to collect arctic phytoplankton for a scientist in California: one example of citizen science projects done all over the world.

Winter Projects

November - April: Project FeederWatch (Cornell/Birds Canada)
Project FeederWatch is a winter-long survey running from mid-November through early April to track birds that visit feeders in backyards and other places. Each tracking period lasts for two consecutive days. Get a feeder, fill it, and track the birds that come. Even if you only track for one two-day period, that's still really valuable data!
December: Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count
An annual event since 1900!
February: Great Backyard Bird Count (Cornell/Audubon/Birds Canada)
The Great Backyard Bird Count runs from February 12-15, 2021. For four days in February, you will spend at least 15 minutes a day anywhere you like watching for birds and keeping a list of every bird you see. You will need a Cornell Lab account to track the birds through the Merlin Bird ID app, the eBird Mobile app, or the eBird web page.

Anytime Projects

NestWatch (Cornell)
Track the activities you spy in bird nests using the NestWatch app and account.
Celebrate Urban Birds (Cornell)
A citizen science project with an urban focus, Celebrate Urban Birds invites you to get to know the birds common in your region, choose your regular birdwatching spot, watch birds for 10 minutes a day for 3 days, and report your findings.
iNaturalist (California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic Society)
iNaturalist is focused on biodiversity, encouraging citizen scientists to track the organisms they see where they live.

If you like citizen science, here are some other ideas!

CitizenScience.gov
Following the Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Act of 2016 (15 USC 3724), CitizenScience.gov is the federal government's website for all federally supported citizen science projects as well as the necessary guidelines for researchers who are looking to create a citizen science project. Narrow the current list of open projects by field of science to find one that interests you!
Citizen Science Projects (National Geographic)
This list of citizen science projects from National Geographic includes some of the bird projects listed here, plus others on subjects including space, water, and weather.
SciStarter (ASU and other organizations)
SciStarter is a website that connects citizen scientists with active research projects, managed by Arizona State University and supported by several other organizations including the National Science Foundation.

Apps

Ebird app (Cornell)
The eBird app helps citizen scientists like you track birds.
NestWatch app (Cornell)
The NestWatch app helps you track bird nests.

Library Books about Citizen Science

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The Incidental Steward: Reflections on Citizen Science by Akiko Busch; Debby Cotter Kaspari (Illustrator)
Call Number: Ebook
ISBN: 9780300195088
Publication Date: 2013-04-22
Citizen Science: Public Participation in Environmental Research by Janis L. Dickinson (Editor); Richard E. Bonney (Editor)
Call Number: Ebook
ISBN: 9780801463952
Publication Date: 2012-04-07

Birds

Citizen Science

"Citizen science" is the name given to research data collection performed by volunteers who work for free in aid of scientific research.

Get involved and help advance scientific research from your home!

Winter Projects

Anytime Projects

If you like citizen science, here are some other ideas!

Apps

Library Books about Citizen Science

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