You don’t need to be an expert twitcher to take part in the ‘Backyard Bird Count’ – all you need is a spare 20 minutes, a nice hot cuppa and some winter woolies.
Many Murrindindi Shire residents would be familiar with BirdLife Australia’s annual ‘Aussie Backyard Bird Count’ which is held each October. However, there are seasonal surveys that run all year round. And you guessed it, it’s time to take part in the Winter survey!
Murrindindi Shire Council’s Environment, Library Services and Information Technology Portfolio Councillor, Rebecca Bowles, said the Backyard Bird Count is a great way for the community to connect with the natural environment and a fun way to help gather valuable data on the birds we share our environment with.
‘It’s easy to get involved. All you need to do is go outside for 20 minutes and count how many birds you see and what type they are. You’ll need to download the ‘Birdata’ app and take your smartphone or tablet outside with you to record all the birds you see at your place. If you need help identifying any of the birds you see, you can take a look on the ‘Birds in Backyards’ website under the ‘Bird Finder’ section or you can download the free Aussie Bird Count app.
‘The results from the Winter Survey will tell us how our birds are faring by generating data about different bird species and their abundance in certain areas, their breeding activity and different interactions they may have with other birds’, said Cr Bowles.
