Birdwatchers are set to have a busy week as 25 citizen scientists with the Bermuda Audubon Society carry out the annual bird count.

The weeklong event started on Wednesday, with the main count day taking place on today.

A spokeswoman for the society said: “These volunteers will be counting every bird that they see from sunrise to sunset and looking for owls and other night-time birds after dark.

“Please welcome them to your neighbourhoods and do not be concerned if you see them gazing into your yard with binoculars.”

Members of the public are also urged to get involved by reporting any unusual species to info@audubon.bm on the count day or during period which ends on December 20.

The Christmas Bird Count was launched to gather information about bird populations across North America, and Bermuda has been involved in the effort since 1975.

“The State of the Birds Report for 2022 reported a steep and worrisome decline in bird abundance over the past 50 years,” the spokeswoman said.

“Causes for the decline include hunting, habitat loss, climate change, window strikes, cat predation and pesticide use.

“We have seen this decline in bird numbers in Bermuda. However, as we know with the success of the Cahow Recovery Programme, bird conservation efforts can make a difference.”

The society urged the public to help support conservation efforts by keeping cats indoors, marking windows to prevent bird collisions, planting native and endemic plant species and buying bird-friendly products and organic pesticide.

• For more information, visit www.audubon.bm.