Websites are informational and educational. One caution is to realize not all information on websites is correct. Still websites are useful for providing information on several angles.

This week we have learned about the Annual Christmas Bird Count and the Great Backyard Bird Count. Both are conducted as a partnership between the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Why count birds?

This is a fair question, which should have been asked and answered in the first column this week. Imagine having a chance to know where birds are located on a given day, year after year, for a hundred years.

A scientist who studies birds would find this information extremely valuable. They may be able to determine the results of diseases in various parts of the country. Also, how weather determines the movement of birds. Plus, bird diversity throughout the world, including cities, parks, farms, etc.

The Audubon Society states the results of the Annual Christmas Bird Count helps in this manner, “The data collected by observers over the past century allow Audubon researchers, conservation biologists, wildlife agencies and other interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. When combined with other surveys such as the Breeding Bird Survey, it provides a picture of how the continent’s bird populations have changed in time and space over the past hundred years.”

Lastly, identifying and counting birds is a fun sport. Birding is family-friendly. Even toddlers enjoy watching birds. It provides another endeavor for families to pursue while camping, on day trips and when traveling.

Websites

The Audubon and Cornell Lab websites provide a place for counters to open a free account in order to participate in the counts and report their final numbers. There are also extensive bird identification pages.

A birding book is my preference, but there is good reason to use both a book and a smart phone. Take the American goldfinch, which is the Washington State bird, as an example.

Click on the photo and more information appears, including habitat, feeding behavior, diet, nesting, number of eggs and how they raise their young. Also, there are 14 different songs or calls of the goldfinch available on the site.

Both websites contain maps, which show where a specific species has been counted during a specific year. One map shows few Eurasian collared doves around the Columbia Basin in 2000, but large numbers in 2014.

Exploring the websites, in preparation for the bird count, would be an excellent and educational exercise for a family.

Tomorrow: Finally, a discussion about bird lists.