OLATHE, Kan. — What kind of birds are in your backyard? Scientists want to know, and you can help them out this weekend during the Great Backyard Bird Count by becoming an official bird counter.
Elizabeth Stoakes is rarely seen without her trusty binoculars around her neck. She has been an avid birder for almost 20 years. The mid-February Great Backyard Bird Count is one of her favorite times of the year.
“Originally it started to get a snapshot of the whole bird population in late winter before the birds start migrating north and south from the lower to higher altitudes,” said Stoakes.
From experts to armatures, everyone is invited to count along and it only takes about 15 minutes.
“Most common to our feeders are the Tufted Titmouse and the Black Capped Chickadee. They are very common and very cute,” said Regina Wasson, a park naturalist.
There are between three and 400 species of birds that travel through the tall grassy prairies of Kansas and Missouri through the central flyway. The count helps scientists keep track of their migratory patterns and the health of the flocks.
“We have the river habitats here and the wetlands and grassland and eastern forest. The only thing we don’t have here is the mountainous habitat,” said Stoakes.
The snow backdrop makes the birds even more visible, and the cold keeps them active at the feeders.
The more counters who are willing to take tallies of the birds, the more accurate the results will be. And if you ask Stoakes; it’s educational, relaxing and just plain fun.
The great backyard bird count will run through Monday. If you would like more information on identifying local species, or entering your count, go to birdsource.org.
