Community Science
Explore Your World with Community Science
You don’t need to be a scientist to do community science; the only requirement is your own curiosity! Community Science with the National Aviary brings opportunities for families and individuals throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania to engage in the scientific process and discover the natural world in their own backyard or local park. Community Science is real science that uses the interest and ability of large numbers of people to make accurate observations of nature. National Aviary researchers work with community members to teach them what to look for, what information to collect, and how to record and submit their data. Community science can contribute significantly to scientific studies of birds. Projects like the Christmas Bird Count and the Great Backyard Bird Count have used community member observations for decades!
The Pittsburgh community has helped us study nesting backyard birds, migrating owls, wintering hummingbirds, and more!
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Neighborhood Nestwatch
The National Aviary works with dozens of families in urban, suburban, and rural areas around Pittsburgh to document the survival and reproductive success of eight common bird species.
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Project Owlnet
Project Owlnet is a continent-wide research effort to understand the migration of Northern Saw-whet Owls, with local efforts led by National Aviary Ornithologist Bob Mulvihill.
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Winter Hummingbirds
National Aviary Ornithologist Bob Mulvihill follows up on reports of unusual hummingbirds. Banding these tiny birds helps scientists understand their migration patterns.
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