NC Bird Count

The 2023 NC Bird Count is part of the Great Backyard Bird Count and takes place Friday, February 17 through Monday, February 20. You can participate anywhere in North Carolina!

How to Participate

If you are an individual or small group, follow these steps. Working in a school setting? Scroll down to the Educator Resources at the bottom of the page!

1. Find a place to watch birds! Visit a favorite local birding hotspot or watch the feeder in your own backyard.
2. Watch birds for at least 15 minutes. Make a checklist recording the total number of every bird that you see or hear that you know how to identify.
3. Submit your checklists through the eBird website or app, available for Android and Apple!

New to eBird? Check out our Quick Guide to eBird! It will walk you through how to use the smartphone app and website to submit your checklists.

Need bird ID help? Install the free Merlin Bird ID app on your Android or Apple smartphone or on the All About Birds website (click Get Instant ID Help)!

Find a Local Event

You can get involved in the NC Bird Count anywhere in the state. Participate on your own or join one of the many in person and virtual programs offered by our collaborative.

Check out our program listing to find a program near you!

Earn the NC Bird Count Badge!

You can earn a custom embroidered badge by participating in the NC Bird Count! Follow these steps to claim yours:

• Complete a minimum of 3 checklists (at least 15 minutes of birdwatching per checklist) and submit them to eBird. Check out our Quick Guide for information on how to submit your data to eBird.
• Report your participation and claim your badge!

Educator Resources

Are you a formal educator who would like to get your students involved in the NC Bird Count? Check out our educator guide for ideas for how to tie the event to your standards!

Once you’ve observed birds with your students and submitted one or more checklists to eBird, report your participation here (coming soon!). We’ll send you a printable certificate that you can display in your classroom!

Working with large groups for the Great Backyard Bird Count can be a little tricky. Check out the GBBC resources for working with large groups here!

Other Resources

Were you super enthusiastic and have 30+ checklists to submit to eBird? If so, download a copy of the bulk upload spreadsheet here!