Citizen Science

Bill MuellerThe term "citizen science" refers to research that is conducted by, or with significant help from, non-scientists. Citizen science has grown in popularity because it is a way for researchers to collect more data than would be possible through only the use of professional scientists, not to mention the fact that citizen scientists enjoy it!

While citizen science projects can produce large data sets that allow researchers to examine questions that would not be otherwise be possible, there are many questions that cannot be answered by citizen science because the data are lower quality than those collected by professionals. As a result, it is important to remember that citizen science is a wonderful supplement to professional research but not a replacement for it.

Although "citizen science" wasn't added to the Oxford English Dictionary until 2014, bird-focused citizen scientists have been active since the initial Audubon Christmas Bird Count in the year 1900 even if the term wouldn't be defined until more than a century later. Birders have also been especially active providing data for researchers since the 2002 launch of eBird.

Fall 2009 384 Bluebird Box copyThere are many benefits to citizen science, especially in the world of birds and habitat. These include:

  1. New research that would not be possible without citizen scientists
  2. Greater public knowledge and engagement.
  3. An improved ability to manage local habitat.
  4. New local data to influence decision makers to include wildlife and conservation in their plans.
  5. Fostering a connection between people a nature, something that is ever growing weaker in our increasingly technology-driven world.

Below you will find a guide to some of the citizen science projects that Bird City Wisconsin recommends if you would like to make a difference in your community. For a more comprehensive list of the wide range of citizen science projects in Wisconsin and across the country, please visit Who's Who of Citizen-based Monitoring in Wisconsin (click "Subject" to view the projects split into broad categories, including birds).

Don't forget to look to see where your community's citizen science actions will get you credit in your Bird City Wisconsin application (see Category 4)!

  • Bluebird Trail (Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin)

    The most exciting and rewarding experience of being a member of the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin (BRAW) is taking care of a Bluebird Trail. The BRAW site and BRAW members are there to help you to be successful. Once your trail or boxes are up and ready, it is important to monitor them. This will allow the bluebirds to thrive in the best possible conditions.

  • Christmas Bird Count

    Prior to the turn of the 20th century, hunters engaged in a holiday tradition known as the Christmas "Side Hunt." They would choose sides and go afield with their guns—whoever brought in the biggest pile of feathered (and furred) quarry won. Conservation was in its beginning stages in that era, and many observers and scientists were becoming concerned about declining bird populations. Beginning on Christmas Day 1900, ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, an early officer in the then-nascent Audubon Society, proposed a new holiday tradition—a "Christmas Bird Census" that would count birds during the holidays rather than hunt them, and event that evolved into the Christmas Bird Count. 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.

  • eBird

    A real-time, online checklist program, eBird has revolutionized the way that the birding community reports and accesses information about birds. Launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, eBird provides rich data sources for basic information on bird abundance and distribution at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. eBird’s goal is to maximize the utility and accessibility of the vast numbers of bird observations made each year by recreational and professional bird watchers.

  • Great Backyard Bird Count

    Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, The Great Backyard Bird Count was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real-time. Now, more than 160,000 people of all ages and walks of life worldwide join the four-day count each February to create an annual snapshot of the distribution and abundance of birds.

  • Habitat Network (Powered by Yardmap)

    Habitat Network is a citizen science project designed to cultivate a richer understanding of wildlife habitat, for both professional scientists and people concerned with their local environments. They collect data by asking individuals across the country to literally draw maps of their backyards, parks, farms, favorite birding locations, schools, and gardens and connect you with your landscape details and provide tools for you to make better decisions about how to manage landscapes sustainably. Habitat Network is also the world’s first interactive citizen scientist social network. When you join you are instantly connected to the work of like-minded individuals in your neighborhood, and across the country. Together you can become a conservation community focused on sharing strategies, maps, and successes to build more wildlife habitat.

  • Snapshot Wisconsin

    Snapshot Wisconsin is a partnership to monitor wildlife year-round, using a statewide network of trail cameras. The project will provide data needed for wildlife management decisions. It is also a unique opportunity for individuals, families, and students to get involved in monitoring the state’s valuable natural resources.

  • Swift Night Out

    Want to count roosting swifts as they gather before their fall migration? Host a Swift Night Out and get some friends together and help raise awareness about these amazing birds! Swift Night Out is a continent-wide effort to raise awareness about Chimney Swifts and their roosting sites. It was started in 2001 by Paul and Georgean Kyle in Austin, TX, who have rehabilitated and studied swifts for several decades.

  • Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas II

    The Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas II is a comprehensive field survey that documents the distribution and abundance of birds breeding in an area. The information will allow us to see changes in bird populations since the last survey and to measure future changes. These insights help us identify the conservation needs of breeding birds and try to meet those needs. Data are entered into a special portal that eBird created specifically for the Atlas.