Austria’s largest scientific hands-on campaign – the “Hour of Winter Birds” – takes place every year. From January 6 to 8, 2023, anyone interested is invited to count birds for an hour in the open air, in their own garden or in the surrounding area.
The “Hour of the Winter Birds” is a fixed point on the calendar of all big and small bird lovers. Has been calling for 14 years BirdLife count! The focus of this “Citizen Science” campaign is research on the most common and widespread bird species such as blackbirds, sparrows, finches and tits, which stay with us even in the snow and cold.
Participating is very easy
You can join almost anywhere – just in the garden, on the balcony, from the window or in the park. Anyone who is on holiday within Austria can also participate. Find a place with a good view. Then, at a time of your choice, observe for an hour and record the highest number of each bird species seen at one time during that time period. This prevents double counting. Even if you don’t see a bird at all, this is a feedback to bird protection Bird Life Austria very valuable.
population decreases
A negative trend is reflected across Europe. According to a recent international study, some 600 million breeding birds have disappeared from the European Union in the past 40 years. With the help of the “Hour of Winter Birds” – a citizen survey with scientific evaluation – such gradual changes in the bird world in our cities and towns can be identified. Condition is regular observation over the years.
Important findings
Since 2011, BirdLife Austria has received a total of 128,082 reports of 3,324,458 winter birds with help from the public. Last year, 600,000 birds were observed, counted and reported to bird protection by some 23,500 bird enthusiasts. The more data collected and the longer the series of counts, the more accurately changes in native bird life can be detected. Every report is valuable: even if no bird was observed during the count period, it is an important contribution to bird research.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
