Did I Mention the Free Poster & Prizes?

How Did Michigan Rank in GBBC Last Year?

We did good but I know we can do better. Last year Michigan ranked 10th in the number of checklists submitted. Come on Michigan; I want bragging rights!
States Submitting the Most Checklists:
Rank-State-Checklists
1 -Pennsylvania -5,519
2 -New York -5,478
3 -North Carolina -4,764
4 -California -4,340
5 -Ohio -4,049
6 -Virginia -3,953
7 -Texas -3,805
8 -Georgia -3,763
9 -Florida -3,402
10-Michigan -3,098
Why I should submit a checklist?
Your counts can help us answer many questions:

• How will this winter's snow and cold temperatures influence bird populations?
• Why certain species appear in large numbers some years but not others?
• How will the timing of birds’ migrations compare with past years?
• Is there a global warming effect?
• Are birds sending warning signals about the environment?

Other Than Helping Out in Environmental Conservation What Do I Get?

1. Anyone that comes in to the Wild Birds Unlimited East Lansing store and promises to submit a checklist will receive a poster of common backyard birds while supplies last.
2. You can also enter a Photo Contest for a chance to win great prizes!
3. Finally all GBBC participants are entered into the general prize drawing.

How Do I Participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count?It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Plan to count birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count. You can count each day or just some of the days and you can count in different places.
2. For each type of bird you see, count the most you see at any one time. For example, maybe you see two chickadees when you start watching, then five chickadees a few minutes later. The number you put on your list for chickadees is five. Do not add two plus five. (This way way you don't accidentally count the same bird twice.)
3. Enter your results on the Great Backyard Bird Count web site! Then watch the maps as more and more people enter their reports.
   That's it!

Now get ready to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count! It's fun, educational, and a very important project that gathers huge amounts of data from volunteers across the nation and Canada.
The Great Backyard Bird Count is led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, with Canadian partner Bird Studies Canada and sponsorship from Wild Birds Unlimited.