In short: Project FeederWatch is a winter count of the birds that visit yards and feeders in the US and Canada. You pick two days in a row, watch as much or as little as you like, and report the largest number of each species you saw at one time. You don't add up visits. The season runs from November 1 to the end of April.
It's an easy way to turn your kitchen window into real science: the counts help researchers follow how winter birds change over the years.
Key facts
- The FeederWatch season runs from November 1 through April 30. On October 2, 2026, the project's pages gave those same dates, with no different dates for 2026–27.
- A count is two consecutive days. The project suggests at least five days without counting between counts, and says counting less often is fine.
- For each species, you report the most individuals you saw at the same moment during the two days.
- The annual fee is $18 for US residents. Canadians take part by donating any amount to Birds Canada.
- The project is run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada. It began as the Ontario Bird Feeder Survey in 1976.
Facts checked: October 2, 2026.
FeederWatch at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When | November 1 to April 30, every winter |
| A count | Two days in a row, as often as once a week |
| How long you watch | As much or as little as you like; note the time |
| What you report | The most of each species seen at one time |
| Where | Your count site: a yard, or an area you can watch week after week |
| Need a feeder? | No. Water and plantings count too |
| Cost | $18 a year in the US; a donation of any amount in Canada |
| Run by | The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada |
The key rule: count birds, not visits
Chickadees come and go all morning. If you add up every visit, you'd count the same few birds over and over. So FeederWatch asks for something simpler.
For each species, write down the most you see at the same moment. The instructions put it as counting the individuals "in view simultaneously". The biggest number over your two days becomes your count for that species.
Here's an example, made up for this guide:
| When | Chickadees in view at once |
|---|---|
| Saturday, 8 am | 2 |
| Saturday, noon | 4 |
| Sunday, 9 am | 3 |
| Sunday, 3 pm | 1 |
You'd report 4 chickadees, not 10. Four is the most you know were there together.
It's an honest number. There may have been more chickadees around, but four is what you can be sure of.
How a FeederWatch count works
- Choose your count site. The instructions ask for an area you can watch easily and consistently from week to week, with clear edges, such as the border of your yard. It should include whatever you provide for birds: feeders, water or plantings.
- Pick your two days. Two days in a row. The project suggests choosing them in advance if you can, and leaving at least five days without counting between counts. Counting less often is fine.
- Watch when it suits you. You can watch "as much or as little as you want" during the two days, a few minutes at breakfast or all afternoon. Keep track of roughly how long you spent watching.
- Keep a running tally. For each species, note the biggest group you see at once, and update it if you see more.
- Note the snow. The instructions ask for the average snow depth at your site over the two days.
- Report your counts for the two days, through the Your Data section of the FeederWatch website or the FeederWatch app.
You can also report mammals that come for what you provide, such as squirrels, using the same "most at once" method. That's optional.
Which birds count, and which don't
They count:
- Birds in your count site during your count days.
- Birds drawn by food, water, or fruits and plantings you look after. You don't need a feeder: the project says you can still take part without one.
- Hawks, owls and other predators drawn by the activity at your feeders.
They don't count for FeederWatch:
- Birds that simply fly over.
- Birds you only hear.
- Birds caught only by a camera, that you don't see yourself.
- Birds seen on days that aren't your count days.
These are FeederWatch's own rules, chosen so every count is made the same way. They don't decide what goes on your personal list. Under the American Birding Association's recording rules, a bird you identify by sound alone can still count on your life list.
What if no birds come?
Report it anyway. The project's FAQ is clear: "All counts are valuable, even reports of no birds." An empty count tells researchers something real about where birds were, and weren't, that week. In the report, there's an option to say you watched but no birds were present.
The same FAQ reassures people who only ever see a few kinds of birds: those counts are wanted too, because the only way to follow bird populations accurately is to hear from as many places as possible.
How to join
- Sign up on the FeederWatch website. The project overview gives the fee as $18 a year for US residents, and says Canadians can join by donating any amount to Birds Canada. The fees pay for the website and database, data analysis, participant support, and printing and shipping project materials.
- Choose your count site and your first count days, as described above.
- Count from November 1, and report each count on the website or in the app.
FeederWatch began in 1976 as the Ontario Bird Feeder Survey, started by Erica Dunn through Canada's Long Point Bird Observatory. It went continent-wide with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and in the winter of 1987–88 more than 4,000 people enrolled. Scientists use the counts to follow long-term trends in where winter birds live and how many there are, and the timing and size of winter irruptions (winters when unusually many northern birds come south).
FeederWatch and other counts
FeederWatch runs all winter, at your own pace, at one site. The Christmas Bird Count is different: one day per local count circle, between December 14 and January 5, organized by a local compiler. If you live inside a count circle, you may be able to take part in both.
Keep your own notes too
Your FeederWatch report goes to the project. Your own sightings are yours to keep as well. A note of the first junco of the winter, or the day a Red-breasted Nuthatch turned up, is the start of a good yard record. Our guide to keeping a record of your local patch shows a simple way to do it, and the difference between a yard list and a year list is in life list vs year list.
Questions people ask
When does FeederWatch 2026–27 start?
On November 1, 2026. The season runs every year from November 1 to the end of April.
Do I have to count every week?
No. You can count as often as once a week, but the project says counting less often is fine.
Do I need to watch all day?
No. Watch as much or as little as you want during your two count days, and note roughly how long you watched.
Can I count birds I hear but don't see?
Not for FeederWatch. Birds you only hear, and birds that just fly over, aren't included.
Project FeederWatch is run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada. We have no connection with it.