Te Tatauranga o ngā Manu Māra o Aotearoa / The New Zealand Garden Bird Survey is taking place this year from 29 June to 7 July.
Birds are important indicators of the health of New Zealand’s environment and to help us discover and learn more about New Zealand garden birds, participate in this annual citizen science project.
This is organised by Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. It takes place over nine days and people count the birds they see in their backyards, local parks or schools.
How to get involved
- Visit the New Zealand Garden Bird Survey website to get started
- Select your garden, park, marae or school
- Choose one day from 29 June to 7 July
- Look and listen for birds for ONE hour on ONE day
- Record the HIGHEST number of a bird species observed at one time
- Submit the results online at the NZ Garden Bird Survey website.
Competitions
Take part in one or more fo these fabulous competitions below.
Competition: Ngā Manu Māra o Aotearoa | Garden Birds of New Zealand resources
Be in to win – submit a photo of your students in their learning space using the new resources, developed in conjunction with the Science Learning Hub. Te Tatauranga o ngā Manu Māra o Aotearoa – resources for kura curates resources created for kura to inspire, enlighten and extend learning for tamariki. The resources are in English and te reo Māori.
The New Zealand Garden Bird Survey – inquiry cycle
This interactive collates a range of teaching and learning resources designed to engage, inspire and nurture rich learning experiences – with a focus on exploring local birdlife and engaging with the New Zealand Garden Bird Survey.
Select here to view the full transcript, links to teaching resources and copyright information.
Prizes
- One $350 voucher from Crescendo Science Lab Supplies for the photo showing great creativity and scientific engagement, to be judged by the Science Learning Hub and Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research.
- Two $150 spot-prize vouchers from Crescendo Science Lab Supplies.
Find out more here.
Entries open on Monday 17 June 2024 and close midnight Friday 16 August.
Colouring competition
Take part in this year’s Garden Bird Survey with your family, whanau, youth group or school and be in to win a Topflite Nectar Feeder and Garden Bird Supporters’ Pack.
Download and print bird outlines for colouring and then unleash your creativity and colour your birds however you like.
Photograph or scan your entry, and upload it via the form (images. must be jpg, png, or gif format). Increase your chances by sharing your entry!
Find more here, including the colouring forms.
Entries open Saturday 29 June 2024 and close midnight Monday 22 July.
Photography competition
Win a camera or a pair of binoculars in the 2024 Photography competition. The einning entry will feature on the cover of State of NZ Garden Birds 2024 | Te Āhua o ngā Manu o te Kāri i Aotearoa
Find more here, including full details, terms and conditions.
Entries open Wednesday 26 June 2024 and close midnight Wednesday 10 July.
Why winter
If you're wondering why we do this in winter? It may seem odd – but in fact it makes sense.
We are more likely to see birds in our gardens in winter, because they’re attracted in when there’s less food for them in the wider environment. This means that we get better results, showing the true state of our garden birds.
For further information on doing the survey, why your contribution matters, resources for schools and feathered fun activities: https://gardenbirdsurvey.nz/take-part
See the te reo Māori resources for children and teachers on the New Zealand Garden Bird Survey website.
Related content
The article Te Tatauranga o ngā Manu Māra o Aotearoa – resources for kura curates resources created for kura to inspire, enlighten and extend learning for tamariki. The resources are in English and te reo Māori.
The PLD planning article New Zealand Garden Bird Survey – a context for learning offers ideas for getting started and making the most of this annual survey.
The Hub has numerous resources on native birds. Conserving native birds – introduction is a good place to start or see the range of content under our birds topic.
Citizen science
The New Zealand Garden Bird Survey has been running since 2007, providing extensive data to look back through and consider.
Explore some related New Zealand citizen science projects:
- iNaturalist NZ lets you record what you see in nature.
- Participate in eBird to log bird sighting data year round and compare data from around the world.
- If you live in the mountainous parts of the South Island or are planning a school trip there you could contribute to the Kea Database.
For more citizen science content on the Hub, see the range of resources under the citizen science concept.
