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Backyard Bird Count

Sections

Scouts Venturer Scouts Rover Scouts

Challenge Areas

Community Outdoors

Scout Method Elements

Learning By Doing Nature and the Outdoors Patrol System

SPICES Growth Areas

Intellectual Physical

The Adventure

Scouts will conduct a timed bird count and learn about nature in their neighbourhood while collecting data that will be used by Birdlife Australia to inform bird conservation and help combat the many threats facing Australia’s many wonderful birds.

Plan

Ask your Unit to consider the purpose of this activity:

  • What are some of the threats faced by birds?
  • Are all the birds in our backyards native?
  • How might information about the birds in our backyards help scientists protect birds?
  • Decide where your Unit will do their bird count.
  • At your Scout hall? In a local park or reserve? Will you all conduct your surveys in the same area, or will you split up?

Let participants know what they need to bring and gather any equipment you will provide:

  • Bird guides (books, apps or online resources).
  • Binoculars.
  • Paper, pens and pencils.
  • Phones of computers to submit results to the Birdata app or website.

Do

If uploading data via the Birdata website, skip to step 4 and upload your survey details and results afterwards.

  1. Tap “record survey” and select the “Birds in Backyards” program.
  2. Select your survey location.
  3. Fill out the survey details including your site details.
  4. Spend 20 minutes birdwatching and record which birds you see.
  5. Review and submit your results.

Review

  • Come together as a Unit and discuss what you saw.
  • What birds did you see?
  • Were there more or less birds than you expected?
  • Where did the birds spend their time and what did they do?
  • How many birds were native species? How many were introduced?
  • Do you think you would see different birds at a different time of day? What about at a different time of year?
  • What could you do to make your area more bird friendly?
  • What went well? What could be improved?
  • Thank the participants and organisers.
  • Make sure everyone who should fills in their record books for participating, assisting or leading.