Eyes on the sky: France鈥檚 latest birdwatch event is this weekend
The latest national bird count is set to take place on Saturday and Sunday. Here鈥檚 how to take part and help maintain bird biodiversity
Any birds that come to land in your chosen area for your chosen hour can be included in your weekend countDavid Havel / Shutterstock
Hannah ThompsonHannahThompson
PublishedModified
France鈥檚 latest bird counting event is taking place this weekend, with the public invited to count the birds they see from a given outdoor space for a one-hour period.
Participants can either choose Saturday, May 28 or Sunday, May 29, and take one hour to observe any birds they can see from their balcony, garden, or another public green space.
During that hour, note down any birds you see, with the help 鈥� if needed 鈥� of helpsheets .
Only count birds that come to land, either on the ground or on a branch, and not birds that only fly over the area.
There is also a sheet that can help you keep count.
After your hour is up, you can send your results to the bird counting events organisers, l鈥橭bservatoire des oiseaux des jardins, at the website , or by emailing oiseauxdesjardins@lpo.fr.
The event is organised several times a year by the Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO), and helps the group keep track of bird species and the state of biodiversity in France.
It has been running for 10 years. In 2021, 17,260 gardens took part in the count across the whole of France. People in Normandy were most likely to take part, with 3,541 gardens, and especially Calvados, with 1.095.
