2023 Halftime Report
Birds Unite Us
Birds have a way of making us feel connected; a part of something bigger. This weekend we come together in admiration of their beauty, the warmth we feeling watching them, and the importance of preserving their populations around the world. Keep up the inspiring work! Here is what we have accomplished as a global community–and there are still two days left!
Halftime Highlights
- 6,426 unique bird species observed
- 182 participating countries
- 125,101 complete checklists
- 103,207 sightings saved with Merlin Bird ID
These numbers are from approximately 11 p.m Eastern on Saturday, February 18. For a fun visualization, you can watch as new sightings roll in via our live submissions map.
General Trends
India is having another strong year with more than 20,000 checklists and 973 birds already identified. Across the country, on the ground efforts from Bird Count India are bringing people of all ages, schools and universities, and community centers, together to watch and admire birds. Keep up the submissions India!
In Canada and the United States, some early migrants and irruptive species are showing-up on checklists. Red-winged Blackbirds and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are being reported further north earlier than previous years. Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins, and Common Redpolls are making appearances further south as they move to find more food resources.
The friendly competition for the region with the most species is often a difficult race to call. This year Colombia is in the lead with India not too far behind. Ecuador, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexcico are also serious contenders. Find full GBBC participation stats here.
Race for the Most Species
Both Thailand, with 554 species and more than 500 checklists, along with Australia, at 537 species and 2,513 checklists, are showing strong submission rates this year! It is exciting to see so many countries showing up for the birds.
Great Photos from Around the World
In two days, photographers have uploaded more than 35,000 images and sound recordings with their checklists. Many of the photos are spectacular—browse the full collection of GBBC bird photo submissions via our eBird/Macaulay Library archive. We chose a small selection below in the photo gallery, enjoy!
Reminder: March 1, 2023 is the Deadline for All Lists
To folks who find themselves in the field or managing lists for students or others, you have time to submit them! We accept lists for the February 17-20, 2023 period until March 1st for all observations made over the GBBC weekend. Enjoy the birds.
A Gallery of Photo Submissions from Around the World
