West Virginia Botanic Garden Hosts Great Backyard Bird Count Event

Community members contribute to global citizen science effort focused on bird populations and biodiversity.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The West Virginia Botanic Garden hosted a bird watching event as part of the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, inviting community members to observe and report bird sightings to help scientists better understand bird behavior, distribution, and long-term population trends.

Why it matters

The Great Backyard Bird Count is an international initiative that collects valuable data on bird populations, which can inform conservation efforts and provide insights into the overall health of ecosystems.

The details

During the local program, Environmental Educator Leah Swift guided participants in identifying birds and led the group in submitting an official report of 16 different species observed to the global count database, including Carolina and Black-capped Chickadees, Gold Finches, Turkey Vultures, a Raven, and a Bluebird.

  • The event took place on Saturday, February 14, 2026.

The players

West Virginia Botanic Garden

A public garden located in Morgantown, West Virginia, that hosted the Great Backyard Bird Count event.

Leah Swift

The Environmental Educator at the West Virginia Botanic Garden who guided participants and led the group in submitting the bird sighting report.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

A nonprofit organization that co-founded the Great Backyard Bird Count, a global citizen science initiative focused on bird populations and biodiversity.

National Audubon Society

A non-profit organization that co-founded the Great Backyard Bird Count, a global citizen science initiative focused on bird populations and biodiversity.

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What they’re saying

“We had a really good turnout of birders that were able to get together and share their passion and also share some of that data and contribute to science this weekend on this Valentine's Day.”

— Leah Swift, Environmental Educator, West Virginia Botanic Garden (wboy.com)

“So, by the end of the count, we had 16 different species, we had both types of chickadees, so our Carolina's and our Black Capped, some Gold Finches, Turkey vultures, a Raven. We saw all kinds of species out there today, a Blue Bird, so they are definitely out even though it's February and it's a little cold outside today.”

— Leah Swift, Environmental Educator, West Virginia Botanic Garden (wboy.com)

What’s next

The data collected during the Great Backyard Bird Count event will be submitted to the global database, contributing to ongoing research on bird biodiversity and conservation efforts worldwide.

The takeaway

The Great Backyard Bird Count is a valuable citizen science initiative that allows community members to actively participate in monitoring and understanding bird populations, which is crucial for informing conservation efforts and protecting the overall health of ecosystems.