PROJECT FEEDERWATCH
What is it?
Project FeederWatch is a great way to connect to nature during the cold, rainy winter
without having to leave the comfort of your home. This is a citizen-science project,
where you will be volunteering with thousands of other people all over the continent
to monitor over 100 different bird species that spend their winters in North America.
The data you report to FeederWatch tells researchers where birds are as well as where they are not. This information enables scientists to piece together accurate population maps, and it helps them determine when species are at risk.
See Our Calendar Project FeederWatch Website
How to participate
You don’t even need a feeder to participate in this project, all you need is a place
with plants, shelter, water or food that attracts birds. The schedule is also designed
to be flexible to your own schedule. You get to choose how long you want to count
birds and how many days you want to count for.
The cost to participate is $18; however, the Center for Service-Learning is covering all costs for students. Once you sign up, we will register you for the project and send you a follow-up email with instructions on how to get started. Because the associated costs for this project are being sponsored by the Center for Service-Learning, you will need to commit to submitting data at least two times a month from December to April.
During your participation, you will also be required to submit a photograph to the participant map OR the Wild Birds Unlimited BirdSpotter Photo Contest. The number of service-learning hours you will receive is determined by how much time you spend counting and reporting data to FeederWatch. Final project submissions with your completed project counts and photograph(s) will be due no later than April 30, 2021, by 11:59 pm.
Please view the presentation below to view the required project forms and further instructions.
Project FeederWatch Presentation
Attention Birders and FeederWatchers
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is calling on you to help protect our backyard birds by reducing the risk and spread of diseases! This winter is especially important as we experience an irruption of pine siskins and finches who are susceptible to contracting salmonellosis, a common and usually fatal bird disease caused by the salmonella bacteria. The best way you can prevent the spread of salmonellosis is by removing your bird feeders from your backyard and encouraging the birds to forage naturally off native vegetation. If you’re still interested in keeping your feeders up as you participate in Project FeederWatch, we just ask that you take extra precautions to keep your feeders clean by first rinsing the feeder well with warm soapy water, then dunking in a solution of nine parts water and one part bleach. Then, finish by rinsing and fully drying before refilling and setting back up. For more information, please check out the WDFW article found here. Thank you for helping care for our backyard birds!