Join the 2026 Great Backyard Bird Count: February 13-16

Last week, on a chilly, brisk afternoon, I joined a group of novice bird watchers to learn to identify birds by their calls. Did you know that the Eastern Towhee sings, “drink-your-tea” and the American robin calls “cheer-up, cheerily, cheerio”? 

The Bird Walk was hosted by Southern Conservation Trust and Peachtree City Parks & Recreation in preparation for the Great Backyard Bird Count. Our group hiked around Line Creek Nature Area, led by Charlee Glenn, Director of Environmental Education, for Southern Conservation Trust, and her colleague, Taylor King, Environmental Education Coordinator. Both used the Merlin Bird ID app, which listens and identifies the birds around you, even if you can’t see them! The app is a free download and a vital resource for birders. Other great apps to use are eBird and the Audubon Bird Guide.

Southern Conservation Trust is hosting another guided bird walk at Sams Lake Bird Sanctuary, 260 Old Senoia Road, in Fayetteville, at 10 a.m. on Friday, February 13, to kick off the Great Backyard Bird Count. No registration is required – just show up! Why not join Charlee and Taylor, learn how to identify birds, and then participate in the global bird count – one of the largest community science projects in the world!

The 29^th annual Great American Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is happening Friday, February 13 – Monday, February 16, 2026. This free, four-day global event invites bird enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels to observe and record birds, creating a vital real-time snapshot of global bird populations. Grab your binoculars and your birding list of the common birds you can find in Georgia. (You can download lists from Birds Georgia, the Georgia Ornithological Society and Georgia Wildlife Resources). 

Why is GBBC so important? Coordinated by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the National Audubon Society and Birds Canada, this bird count provides scientists with critical data about the health and migration patterns of birds across the globe. Last year, over 800,000 birders from nearly every country identified over 8,000 species of birds!How to join the count: Start by counting birds near you – in your backyard, a local park or anywhere you like! Watch and count birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more of the designated days. Tally the species you see or hear and then estimate the number of individual birds for each species. After you have finished counting, submit your findings at BirdCount.org or through the eBird or Merlin app. Take part and you will officially become a “citizen scientist!”