This is Bird Note.

The sights and sounds of birds visiting a feeder in the backyard or a local park can brighten our days during the darker months of the year.

And if you want to take your experience to the next level, you can contribute to science just by keeping track of birds at a feeder.

Project Feeder Watch is a community science project organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada.

Thousands of people across North America help gather data on over 100 species of

birds that spend their winters on the continent. From November through April, participants make lists

of the birds they see at a bird feeder, bird-friendly garden, or water feature whenever they get

the chance, and submit those lists online.

It's that simple.

You might think an activity so simple couldn't possibly make a difference.

But the data from Project Feeder Watch have already helped sound the alarm about declines in bird species, track the spread of disease among wintering bird

flocks, and note shifts in the ranges of bird species throughout the colder months.

Through efforts like Project Feeder Watch, we can become the eyes and ears of bird conservation.

For Bird Note, I'm Ariana Rimmel.

BirdNote is grateful to all listeners

who provide financial support for this show.

You can join them at birdnote.org.