In short: The Big Sit! is a free, international birding event where you count every bird species you can see or hear from inside one circle, 17 feet (5.2 meters) across, on a single day. In 2026 it falls on Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11: you pick one of the two days and count for as many hours as you like between midnight and 11:59 pm. The New Haven Bird Club in Connecticut started it in 1992 and runs it today.
It's birding turned upside down. Instead of walking to find birds, you sit still and let them come to you. It's sociable, it's relaxed, and it's a good way to learn how many birds pass one spot in a day.
Key facts
- The official site lists October 10 and 11 for The Big Sit! in 2026. It's free and open to individuals and teams anywhere in the world.
- All observations must be made from inside a circle no more than 17 feet (5.2 meters) across.
- In 2025, 83 circles reported results, from four countries: the United States, Guatemala, Italy and Finland, with 760 birders taking part for all or part of the day.
- The event was founded in 1992 by members of the New Haven Bird Club. Bird Watcher's Digest ran it from 2001 to 2019. "The Big Sit!" is a registered trademark of the New Haven Bird Club.
Facts checked: October 2, 2026.
The Big Sit! 2026 at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Dates | Saturday, October 10 or Sunday, October 11, 2026: choose one |
| Hours | As many as you like, between midnight and 11:59 pm on your day |
| Where | Any circle you choose, 17 feet (5.2 m) across |
| Who | Anyone, alone or as a team, anywhere in the world |
| Cost | Free |
| What you count | Every species seen or heard from inside the circle |
| Run by | The New Haven Bird Club |
In the early years the event was held on the second Sunday in October. Because some people couldn't sit on Sundays, it now includes the Saturday before as well.
The rules, in plain words
These come from the organizers' Circles and Rules page, as it read on October 2, 2026.
- Stay in your circle. You may only count birds seen or heard from inside your 17-foot circle, chosen in advance.
- Distant birds are fine. If you see or hear a bird from the circle but it's too far away to identify, you may step out to get a closer look or listen, to confirm it.
- But no bonus birds. Any new species you find while you're out of the circle doesn't count, unless someone who stayed in the circle sees or hears it too, or you see it again once you're back.
- Work in shifts if you like. Nobody has to stay all day, but someone must be in the circle the whole time your sit is running. If you're sitting alone, you may leave the circle briefly as needed.
- Pick your hours. Your sit can last as long as is convenient and fun, between midnight and 11:59 pm on the Saturday or the Sunday.
- Keep paper records. Note the number of birds and species you see, and every participant with the hours they spent in the circle.
What counts: an example
Here's how a morning might go, made up for this guide. You're sitting by a pond with two friends.
- A Belted Kingfisher rattles past over the water: counts. You saw it from the circle.
- A hawk soars far off over the trees, too far to name. One of you walks out to the dock, gets a good look, and it's a Red-tailed Hawk: counts, because it was first seen from the circle.
- On the dock, that friend also spots a Green Heron hidden in the reeds. Nobody in the circle can see it: doesn't count, unless it flies into view from the circle later.
- A Barred Owl calls before dawn while you're setting up inside the circle: counts, if you're sure what it is. Birds heard from the circle count.
At the end of the day, your tally is the number of species. The organizers' rules also ask you to keep track of the number of birds.
How to take part
- Choose your spot. Somewhere with a wide view and a mix of habitat: water, trees and open sky. Think about practical things too: a place to park, restrooms, shelter if it rains, and level ground for chairs.
- Mark a 17-foot circle. A rope or a few markers make it easy to see.
- Invite people, if you like. Friends, family or your bird club. Shifts make a long day easy.
- Bring the comforts. Chairs, binoculars, a scope if you have one, warm layers, food, water, and a notebook for the tally.
- Check the organizers' reminders. The Big Sit! website has notes on registering your circle, finding other circles, and submitting results. Read them before the day.
- Report your results. The organizers ask each circle to submit its count as an eBird checklist and share it with them. Their Reporting Results page has the steps, and says the deadline will be posted there. The New Haven Bird Club then gathers the results and posts them on The Big Sit! website.
Many birding organizations also make The Big Sit! a fundraiser, with sponsored teams or with donors pledging an amount for each species.
A casual bird sit, The Big Sit! and other "big sits"
The words get used in different ways, so it helps to know which one you're joining.
| A casual bird sit | The Big Sit! | Great Texas Birding Classic Big Sit! | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Friends watching birds from one spot | The international event run by the New Haven Bird Club | A category in a Texas birding tournament |
| Circle | None, or whatever you like | 17 feet (5.2 m) across | 50 feet across |
| When | Any day | October 10 or 11, 2026 | Tournament days April 15 to May 15, 2026 |
| Rules | Your own | The organizers' Circles and Rules | The tournament's own rules |
Audubon magazine describes a bird sit as an outing where people watch birds together from one spot, often with snacks and good conversation. Its article carries a correction noting that "Big Sit" is a registered trademark of the New Haven Bird Club for its international event. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's tournament has its own Big Sit! category, with a 50-foot circle and a midnight-to-midnight day.
If you're joining an organized event, follow that organizer's rules, not a mix. Circle sizes and reporting steps differ.
Why a sit suits many birders
Staying in one place is easy on the legs. Birdability, a group that works on access to birding, lists stationary events, such as a big sit, among its kinds of accessible outings. Still, "stationary" doesn't mean every site suits everyone: check the ground, seating, restrooms and parking for your group. Our guide to birding with less walking has a checklist.
Keep your own record of the day
Your report goes to the organizers. Your own notes are yours to keep: the date, the place, who sat with you, the bird of the day, and your final count. A sit in the same circle every October makes a lovely record over the years, much like a local patch. Any lifers belong on your life list, with the date and place. And if one sit a year isn't enough, the Christmas Bird Count runs from December 14 to January 5.
Questions people ask
When is The Big Sit! in 2026?
Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11, 2026. You choose one of the two days.
How big is the circle?
17 feet (5.2 meters) across for The Big Sit! Other events that borrow the name may use a different size: the Great Texas Birding Classic's Big Sit! uses 50 feet.
Do I have to sit for 24 hours?
No. You can sit for as many hours as suits you, between midnight and 11:59 pm on your chosen day.
Can I count birds I hear?
Yes, if you hear them from inside the circle and can identify them.
Can I do it alone?
Yes. The event is open to individuals and teams, and a solo sitter may leave the circle briefly as needed.
The Big Sit! is run by the New Haven Bird Club. We have no connection with it.
Birdfolio is not affiliated with eBird, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology or iNaturalist.