Backyard Bird Count

Join Oxbow Meadows for the Backyard Bird Count

Free to the public, no registration required.

Fun for the whole family. No experience necessary.

Event Details

• February 14, 2026
• 9am - 12pm

Activities:

• Guided hikes and bird counts
• Feathery friends activities will be hosted all day!
• High School Bird Census Competition, see details below

Volunteer and Service Hour Opportunities, check the link below:

Volunteer and Service Hours

Learn more about the Great Backyard Bird Count 

 

High School Bird Census Competition

Love is in the air, but so are the birds! Find as many birds as you can in the Oxbow Meadows Bird Census Competition. Your participation contributes to tracking of bird populations, migration, and health in one of the biggest global citizen science projects.

High school students (grades 9–12) are invited to join Oxbow Meadows for a Backyard Bird Count Competition. All data is sent to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon Society through eBird. 

From February 6–13, use the free Merlin Bird ID app and/or eBird (Cornell Lab) to identify as many bird species as you can across at least three locations.

Bring your best birding game, because the competition is going to be unbeakable! Prizes to be awarded. 

 

High School Bird Count Competition Registration

Email completed bird list to: oxbowmeadows@columbusstate.edu

 

Rules and Eligibility

• Eligibility
  • All participants must be a high school student (Freshman-Senior)
  • Must reside in the following counties:
    • Georgia: Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, Muscogee, Stewart, Taylor, and Troup
    • Alabama counties: Lee and Russell.  
• Accounts and Apps
  • Participants must create a Cornell Lab account and use the account for both eBird and Merlin
  • Helpful links:
    • https://www.audubon.org/magazine/beginners-guide-using-ebird
    • https://support.ebird.org/en/support/solutions/articles/48001144489-saving-birds-identified-with-merlin
  • What apps to use:
    • Participants can use either eBird or Merlin during the competition
    • Participants should only submit the Merlin list.
    • The name on the Cornell account for either Merlin/eBird must match the name on the submission form.
• Dates and Locations
  • Observations will only count on the days of Feb 6th through Feb 13th
  • Observations should take place in a variety of locations, no less than three different locations (i.e. different parks, different neighborhoods)
• Scoring
  • 1 point is awarded per species identifies during the contest dates
  • Tiebreaker:
    • If contestants are tied for first place by the number of species, then the winner will be determined by the total number of observations per species. One additional point will be awarded for every 15 observations of a species.
• Honor System
  • This is the honor system; however, there will be a level of validation for observations. Migratory and non-native species will be cross referenced with other observations.
• Submissions
  • Participants must BOTH complete the Bird Count Registration and email their final bird list to Oxbow Meadows by the deadline.
  • List may be exports or screenshots from the participant's Cornell account.