The 2026 bird count’s totals measure different things

Cornell Lab’s January 20, 2026 invitation asked people to watch birds for at least 15 minutes during February 13–16 and report identifications through Merlin or eBird. Balconies and neighbourhood streets were eligible locations alongside parks and backyards. ^[1]

The project’s undated history traces its start to Cornell and Audubon in 1998. Birds Canada joined in 2009; entering observations into eBird made the count global in 2013. That history connects a short local activity with a shared reporting system. ^[2]

The organisers’ undated results page reports 1,146,284 estimated participants, 467,696 eBird checklists, 1,239,329 saved Merlin identifications and 8,257 species. These are different units. Its snapshot covers totals through March 10, 2026, with additions and validation still possible. ^[3]

Cornell’s eBird protocol guide distinguishes focused stationary or travelling counts, recording start time, duration and distance, from incidental sightings. Incidental lists are automatically marked incomplete and lack effort information, making them less useful for eBird science. Participation totals alone do not describe observation effort. ^[4]

About this item: Retrospective report. No first-hand reporting or independent testing is claimed. Corrections policy.