The Malaysian Garden Birdwatch (MY Garden Birdwatch aka MYGB) is the first citizen science project on garden bird count in Malaysia. Initiated by the Bird Conservation Council (BCC) of the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) and currently it is managed by MNS Environmental Education Division. The project started in 2010 and has continued since with the supports of volunteers from various backgrounds who have a soft spot for birds and their habitat.
The project is modelled after the Big Garden Birdwatch by The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in United Kingdom (UK). Birdwatchers and the general public can contribute in the citizen science project that will help scientists and conservationists in their efforts to protect the natural environment. With this objective in mind, the MYGB is an annual survey of birds that are commonly found around our country, to observe changes on their population numbers and distribution, in urban as well as in rural areas.
Today, besides predation, diseases and natural phenomena; man’s economic activities such as urban development and deforestation have had a major impact on the size and distribution of bird species. Data derived from this survey provides useful clues and it forms the basis for bird conservation priority.
Main objectives of MYGB are:-
- To raise awareness among volunteers on ecosystem services provided by birds
- To contribute to MYGB long-term data collection on the garden bird population and distribution in Malaysia
- To actively engage with volunteers (birdwatchers and the general public) to assist in data collection for scientific purposes
MYGB 2021 – 5th and 6th of June 2021
Urban green cover is an important bird habitat for providing food, nesting, and roosting sites. Bird habitats can be easily observed in our living environment, for instance, parks, backyards, drains, lakes, grasslands, the forest edge behind your house, and many more places. The close linkages between bird species and their habitats provide useful information in identifying ecosystem health. As such, birds are indicator of deteriorating habitat quality and environmental pollution, as well as metrics to determine the success of restoration efforts.
Previous MYGB data showed that with increase of new habitats explored and time spent in the field to do birding, chances to encounter bird species that marks new record to the existing MYGB bird list is higher. This is essential for the MYGB data collection and analysis, especially in a long term manner. MYGB data obtained cumulatively would provide useful information in addressing necessary actions to be taken for bird conservation.
To further enhance the MYGB data, the increase of volunteer participation in MYGB is crucial. For the upcoming 12th year of MYGB annual survey, MNS would like to invite you to participate in the survey to contribute to the continuous monitoring efforts and explore the habitats that potentially has avian inhabitants. Join MYGB 2021 survey on 5th and 6th of June 2021 and share with us your discovery!
To find out the MYGB guidelines, counting sheet for birding practices, tips for bird identification, and other useful information, please visit this website, https://www.mygardenbirdwatch.com
Happy birding!
