Global Big Day 2018
Global Big Day 2018 will take place on May 5th, and the huge question that drives this campaign is how many birds can be spotted in one day. This worldwide birdwatching event is a tradition among birders, and for the last two years, the second Saturday in May has been the biggest day of the year for birds.
During Global Big Day, over 20,000 people from 153 countries spotted a record 6,564 species of birds, making this the largest global team in history.
What is Global Big Day?
Global Big Day is a day on which bird watchers and spotters from all over the world submit their individual bird counts. Over the years, more and more people have become aware of birds by bringing awareness to birding and conservation regionally and globally.
When is Global Big Day?
Global Big Day takes place on MayMay 5th, 2018 and is a worldwide event. Anyone can participate, and you can get more information below.
How to participate in Global Big Day?
There are a few ways that you can participate in Global Big Day. This all depends on your schedule and how active you are. For beginners, you can choose the following methods;
- Join a Bird Club – One of the easiest ways is to join a local bird club active in bird watching. This way, you have the guidance of seasoned birders who can help you spot and identify birds. Not only that, but you will also be able to learn a little more about what bird clubs do.
- Home Bird Watching – All you need to do is watch birds on MayMay 5th in the comfort of your home and see how many birds you can spot in a day. If you live in the city, you can even do this in your garden at home. If you live in an apartment or condominium, you can spot birds that fly by.
- Join eBird—Visit the eBird website and sign up for free. Once signed up, you can contribute your bird spotting from your profile page. This is suitable for anyone as there are no fees incurred whatsoever. The website also has a lot of information about birds worldwide and in your respective country.
Global Big Day 2018 Social Media Hashtag
Since social media has taken over most of our lives, it is only right to use the correct hashtag for your bird photos. Those who love uploading pictures should use the hashtag #globalbigday. This will be shared and seen by many other bird watchers worldwide.
Last year’s Global Big Day 2017 set a new record, with 6,659 species reported in one day. The challenge is to break that record for this year; therefore, every sighting will count.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, it is all good fun for bird watchers, photographers, and even those new to the birding scene. The last Global Big Day in Malaysia was a success, with many bird clubs and organizations participating. The proactive clubs promoting this are also the Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia bird clubs.
This year, the same number of bird clubs in Malaysia will continue to promote Global Big Day 2018 as one of the essential worldwide birding events, and you can get more information from some of their Facebook bird pages.
