Category: Birds

I used to think of birds as delicate creatures, airy and carefree, with pretty feathers and pretty songs. Then I saw the film “Winged Migration” and came to understand just how gritty and daring these lovely creatures really are. The film uses bird’s-eye footage to document the treacherous treks birds across the globe make each […]

By: Lishka Arata Many things distinguish penguins from rocks. There’s color difference (usually), behavior (penguins waddle, rocks don’t), social structure (rocks don’t have one) — the list goes on. But why might someone need to distinguish between rocks and penguins? It’s a skill central to a long-term project that relies on citizen scientists, working from […]

The holiday season is upon us! In the spirit of the season, we’ve put together another edition of our annual 12 Days of Christmas Newsletter. ANNNNNNNND…as our gift to you, we’ve made it possible for you to track your citizen science contributions and interests in one place! Check out the beta version of SciStarter 2.0. […]

Citizen scientists have been studying birds for over 100 years, and some of the most popular projects involve observing birds throughout the winter.  Below, we highlight five projects that study birds during the winter.  Whether you want to watch birds while outdoors or from the comfort of your home, we have a project for you! […]

I believe that citizen science is about citizenship as well as science. By this, I don’t mean citizenship in a specific country, but in a larger community. As a citizen scientist focusing on the natural world, I become a better citizen of that world—the world of tree frogs, say, or hummingbirds or dragonflies. Citizen science makes […]

Photo: CL Goforth Critter Tracking With spring weather upon us, many animals are on the move. Contribute your wildlife observations to advance scientific research. Learn how, below. Find projects from our pals in Ireland, Canada, the EU, and now, Australia through our brand new international partnership. Like citizen science, SciStarter is global. You can find more […]

Who needs chocolate, cards, roses, or a significant other, when you can celebrate Valentine’s Day with citizen science? Below you’ll find five projects we love. Visit SciStarter to find 1000 more. PS: If you have 30 seconds, consider taking this quick poll. We’re curious to learn more about the formal education level of the citizen science […]

Photo: John Ohab 12 Days of Christmas The holiday season is upon us! In the spirit of the season, we’ve put together another edition of our ever popular annual 12 Days of Christmas Newsletter. Cheers! The SciStarter Team On the 1st Day of Christmas, Treezilla gave to me: A measuring tape around a pear tree, […]

Photo: USFWS For many people, Thanksgiving brings to mind family, friends, food, and football.  For us here at SciStarter, it’s a time to give thanks to you! So thank you for making the world a better place through citizen science. Below, you’ll find five projects that will put you in the Thanksgiving spirit! Visit the […]

  Have you ever been interested in bird banding? If so, the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO) has the citizen science program for you. For over three decades, SFBBO’s mission has been to conserve birds and their habitats through science and outreach. One of our longest-running citizen science programs is our bird banding research […]