Bird surveys that use volunteers
Many surveys rely on participation from volunteers, or citizen scientists. This list provides an overview of a selection of surveys that encourage and depend on citizen scientists of all ages and skill levels.
| Monitoring program | Bird group | Volunteer skill level | Season covered | Geographic coverage in Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bird Checklist Programs (Étude des Populations d'Oiseaux du Québec, Northwest Territories / Nunavut Bird Checklist Survey, eBird) | Landbirds | All | Year-round | Canada |
| Breeding Bird Atlases | Landbirds | All | Breeding | Various provinces / territories |
| Canadian Migration Monitoring Network (CMMN) | Landbirds | All | Spring and fall migration | YT, BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NB, NS |
| Christmas Bird Count (CBC) | Landbirds | All | Wintering | Canada |
| Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) | Landbirds | All | Wintering | Canada |
| Hawk Watch | Landbirds | All | Spring and fall migration | BC, AB, MB, ON, QC, NB |
| Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) | Landbirds | All | Breeding | YT, BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NB, PE, NL |
| Mountain Birdwatch / High Elevation Landbird Program (HELP) | Landbirds | Advanced | Breeding | QC, NB, NS |
| Nest Record Schemes / Project NestWatch | Landbirds | All | Breeding | Canada |
| Nocturnal Owl Survey | Landbirds | Intermediate and advanced | Breeding | YT, NT, BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NB, NS, PE |
| North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) | Landbirds | Advanced | Breeding | Canada |
| Ontario Forest Bird Monitoring Program | Landbirds | Advanced | Breeding | ON |
| Project FeederWatch | Landbirds | All | Wintering | Canada |
| Species at Risk Survey (SOS-POP) | Landbirds | Intermediate and advanced | Year-round | QC |
| National Chimney Swift Roost Survey Protocol | Landbirds | All | Breeding | SK, MB, ON, QC, NB, NS |
| National Harvest Survey (NHS) | Waterfowl | Hunters with a valid Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit | Spring and fall migration, wintering | Canada |
| North American Trumpeter Swan Survey | Waterfowl | All | Breeding | YT, NT, BC, AB, ON |
| Yukon Spring Migration Survey | Waterfowl | Intermediate and advanced | Spring migration | YT |
| American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey | Shorebirds | All | Breeding | MB, ON, QC, NB, NS, PE |
| Arctic Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (Arctic PRISM) | Shorebirds | Intermediate and advanced | Breeding | YT, NT, NU, QC |
| International Piping Plover Census | Shorebirds | Intermediate and advanced | Breeding | AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NB, PE, NS, NL |
| Migration Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (Migration PRISM) | Shorebirds | Intermediate and advanced | Spring and fall migration | BC, SK, ON, NB, NS, PE, NL |
| Surveys for Wintering Shorebirds in Latin America and the Caribbean | Shorebirds | Intermediate and advanced | Wintering | None |
| Long-term Nesting Studies of Seaducks | Waterfowl | Intermediate and advanced | Breeding | NU, SK |
| British Columbia Coastal Waterbird Survey | Inland waterbirds | Intermediate and advanced | Wintering, some year-round | BC |
| Canadian Lakes Loon Survey | Inland waterbirds | All | Breeding | Canada |
| Marsh Monitoring Program | Inland waterbirds | Intermediate and advanced | Breeding | AB, SK, MB, ON, QC |