Cornell Lab of Ornithology K–12 Education and Participatory Science Programs

Cornell Lab of Ornithology K–12 Education and Participatory Science Programs includes K-12 Participatory Science Resources, eBird, Project FeederWatch, Great Backyard Bird Count, Celebrate Urban Birds, Global Big Day, and NestWatch. eBird observations can be recorded online, Project FeederWatch bird counts can be reported online or on paper data forms, Great Backyard Bird Count data is entered online, Celebrate Urban Birds asks participants to look for 16 species of birds for 10 minutes anywhere, any time, and share observations, Global Big Day records are entered into eBird, and NestWatch participants monitor active nests throughout the nesting cycle.

Programs

• K-12 Participatory Science Resources — K-12
• eBird — K-12
• Project FeederWatch — K-12
• Great Backyard Bird Count — K-12
• Celebrate Urban Birds — K-12
• Global Big Day — K-12
• NestWatch — K-12

At a glance

• Ages: 5–18 years old

About the provider

The program’s mission is to interpret and conserve the Earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and participatory science focused on birds and nature. Participatory science is described as a partnership between the public and professional scientists, and the page says these projects create opportunities for young people to connect with the natural world, gain scientific skills, and learn key science concepts. It also says children can record data and send it in, and that their data helps birds.

What families say

“Scientists can’t be everywhere, so kids from all over can record data and send it in.” — Heidi, Grade 7

Last updated October 18, 2026.