Citizen Science
Citizen science uses volunteers to observe and report information about birds, frogs, insects, plants, water quality, weather, and more! Anyone can participate, from beginners, to children, to experts.
Citizen science allows people to get involved with science and nature while helping scientists accomplish more. Many citizen science programs focus on identifying wildlife species large and small, to track population trends and conservation status. Some programs track seasonal events in nature to document the effects of climate change.
BioBlitz
A BioBlitz is a 24-hour inventory of all living organisms (biodiversity) in a given area. Any group can organize a BioBlitz and there is no central website. Biologists are invited to participate and to help identify plants and animals found by the public.
Bird Programs Run by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
eBird is an on-line database of bird observations providing scientists and amateur naturalists with real-time data about bird distribution and abundance across North America.
- FeederWatch is a winter-long survey of birds that visit feeders at backyards, nature centers, and communities in North America. FeederWatch helps scientists track trends in winter bird distribution and abundance.
- Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a snapshot of where birds are across North America.
- NestWatch helps people collect and submit nest records, including species, habitat, and number of eggs, young, and fledglings. Nest monitoring data help scientists understand and reduce the impacts of environmental change on bird populations.
Christmas Bird Count
The National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count is an annual census of birds in the Western Hemisphere, performed by volunteer birders. The bird count provides population data for conservation biology, although many people participate for fun.
Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network
CoCoRaHS helps citizens collect local climate data that scientists use for weather forecasting and monitoring, severe weather alerts, and climate studies.
FrogWatch USA and FrogWatch BC
FrogWatch programs help volunteers gather information to address global amphibian declines while learning about the wetlands in their community.
Great Sunflower Project
Great Sunflower volunteers watch and record the bees at sunflowers in their yard to help biologists understand the challenges that bees are facing.
Lost Ladybug Project
Lost Ladybug volunteers submit photos of ladybugs to help scientists track trends, such as introduced ladybug species replacing native species.
Project BudBurst
Volunteers across the United States are tracking climate change impacts by recording the timing of flowers and leaves through Project BudBurst.
Spider WebWatch
Spiders are disliked and poorly understood, yet they are fascinating predators that play a unique and important ecological role in diverse habitats. Spider WebWatch helps volunteers to identify, study, and report on nine selected spider species.
Water Quality Monitoring
Most local watershed councils coordinate volunteer water quality monitoring projects to protect drinking water, recreational uses, and aquatic fish and wildlife.
World Water Monitoring Day
World Water Monitoring Day is an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world by engaging citizens to conduct basic monitoring of their local water bodies.
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