Global Big Day – 17th October 2020
This year Global Big Day (GBD) is taking place on Saturday 17th October. This dedicated day gives bird watchers and enthusiasts a 24 hour opportunity to celebrate birds, both in their own gardens and in the wild, and is open to everyone around the world.
One of GBD’s aims is to have more than 25,000 people submit eBird checklists on 17th October and you are invited to join in. They recognise that COVID-19 continues to impact local communities and so they are encouraging everyone to put their own safety first, by following local health guidelines. You can bird watch from home or in one of our protected areas and National Parks.
You do not have to be a Bird Expert to join in
To join in all you have to do is watch birds on the 17th October – it’s that simple! The day runs from midnight to midnight and you do not have to be a bird expert or spend the whole day outside – you can just watch for birds for only 10 minutes in your garden if you wish.
Since May 2018 Zambia has been participating in a coordinated Big Day effort. We have consistently been one of the top 25 countries globally for the number of species recorded, and in the top three for Africa. This coordination also helps promote Zambia as a top birding destination. The record has also been instrumental in building a strong interest in Zambian birds by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, which organises GBSs. The data submitted during GBDs, and throughout the year, provides valuable bird information to their experts and to Birdwatch Zambia. Check out the Zambia 2019 results and species list on www.ebird.org.
This year Global Big Day will be Global Big Weekend!
In addition, this year’s October GBD is happening during the first Global Bird Weekend. The goal of the weekend is to make October 17th and 18th the biggest ever birding weekend, whilst supporting BirdLife International. One of the weekend’s primary goals is to help raise money for BirdLife International’s Stop the Illegal Bird Trade Campaign and so they are asking for bird lovers to either make a personal donation to the project or become a fundraiser. You can find out more information on donating or how to set up your own fundraising campaign on their website – www.globalbirding.org. Kasanka National Park is even offering a resident’s special for bird watchers over the Global Big Weekend.
How you can Participate
You can find out more information about GBD and register for free for your eBird account at www. globalbirding.org and www.ebird.org. This is a worldwide bird checklist program used by millions of birders and allows the compilation of sightings into a single massive October Big Day List. It also collates data for scientists to use so that they can better understand birds. Your eBird checklists must be submitted before 21st October to be included in their initial results. As results come in you can also keep an eye on how lists are growing in different parts of the world, following reports from over 150 countries with statistics being updated in real time.
If you would like to participate in Zambia’s GBD, then go to Birdwatch Zambia Forum on Facebook where you will find posts on how you can register and get guidance notes about the Big Day.
Last year, more than 20,000 worldwide participants submitted 42,700 checklists with 6,709 species. Wherever you bird watch, have fun, stay safe, enjoy the birds you find, and share your sightings. Don’t forget to take lots of photographs and add them to your checklist – they might even end up on the October Big Day website!