Project Overview and Participation Opportunities

PROJECT WILDBIRD is the first comprehensive study of feed and feeder preferences of wild birds in the US and Canada. Upon completion of the study, consumers will know the feed and feeder preferences of the common backyard birds we see visiting our bird feeders every day and be provided with knowledge that is specific to most geographic regions of the US and Canada during different seasons of the year.


PROJECT WILDBIRD began in September 2005 and continues through August 2008 and features two approaches, an Observational Approach and an Experimental Approach.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: PROJECT WILDBIRD'S Experimental Approach appeals to dedicated bird feeding enthusiasts. Like the Observers, citizen scientists in the Experimental Approach will be monitoring birds during each of the four seasons. However, in the Experimental Approach participants are provided with feeders and feeds and asked to monitor birds that visit these feeders. The Experimental Approach requires a larger time commitment, and participants are asked to follow a well-defined system. Learn more about the experimental approach by clicking here. Or, click here to enroll as an Experimental Citizen Scientist.

OBSERVATIONAL APPROACH: Observers monitor birds in their yard each season of the year: fall, winter, spring, and summer. The specific dates of monitoring are based on the peak distribution of birds during breeding, wintering, and the two migratory seasons for a given geographic region. During each season, observers monitor the activity at their feeders for a total of 3 hours spread across a single eight day segment. Each observation period is 30 minutes in length. These observations of the birds by species, the type of bird feeder used, and the feed offered to the birds by the Observer are recorded into the PROJECT WILDBIRD database using a simple computer data entry system.

If you are a busy person who has limited time but strong interest, here is how PROJECT WILDBIRD's Observational Approach works. Observations have to be more than 3 hours apart from one another, and two observation sessions can be on the same day. A person could monitor birds on Saturday morning, watch an early movie, watch birds again 3 or more hours later, and have a night on the town. On Sunday, a person could monitor birds, go to church and have brunch, and then monitor birds Sunday afternoon before sitting down for football.

If you are an avid bird feeding enthusiast, please consider the observational approach which requires no more than 3 hours spread across a single 8-day segment per season. The research procedure is straight forward and easy to follow. Please contact us and we will be pleased to answer any questions you might have.

NOT SURE WHICH APPROACH IS BEST FOR YOU? We've prepared an information page showing you the comparison of each approach. Click here to view the handout.

PROJECT WILDBIRD's Citizen Scientist Enrollment Form

Your first step toward becoming a Citizen Scientist in the PROJECT WILDBIRD Observational Approach is to fill out the following information to enroll with the project. When you have completed all the required information, including your selection of username and password, you will have access to all of the features of the PROJECT WILDBIRD web site.

Your Personal Information   Please note: All required fields are marked with a red asterik*
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We ask for your email address as we intend to use it and this website as our primary means of communications to all individuals involved with PROJECT WILDBIRD. We will not, under any circumstances share your email address with any third parties. You may view our privacy policy in detail to address any other questions you may have regarding our use of your personal information.
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CANCEL SUPPORT PROJECT WILDBIRD! As you can imagine, a project of this magnitude requires significant resources. Your financial support of PROJECT WILDBIRD will help all of us, our children, and our grandchildren to be better stewards of the wild birds that visit our yards. Click here to contribute now!