Dunedin and other Otago readers can now take part in an annual Garden Bird Survey, which takes place throughout the country, starting today and ending on July 3.
Readers are asked to watch and note birds in their garden during one hour on one day during the survey period.
Dunedin and Otago people are among the most enthusiastic participants in this national survey, now in its 10th year.
Figures from last year's survey highlight that strong southern response.
Survey organiser Eric Spurr said 138,830 birds were counted nationally last year, of which 28,447 (20%) were counted in Otago, indicating a "much higher survey participation'' rate than in other regions.
And 16% of the gardens surveyed throughout the country were in Otago, despite Otago households comprising only 5% of the national total, he said.
The survey aims to use bird lovers as "citizen scientists'' to provide more information about changes in bird distribution patterns, which could highlight bird conservation issues.
Last year's June survey results showed a big rise in reported bird numbers throughout the country, and in Otago gardens.
Silvereyes, also called wax-eyes, were the most frequently reported Otago birds, and the average 23.8 silvereyes reported per Otago garden last year was well up on 9.2 the previous year.
Second place-getter in the Dunedin and Otago top five was the house sparrow (10.4), followed by blackbird (2.3), bellbird (2) and tui (1.9).
Nationally, the house sparrow was No1 (13.3), followed by silvereye (7.8), blackbird (2.3) starling (1.9), and tui (1.5) Mr Spurr said Dunedin was, effectively, the country's native bird capital, given the larger numbers of native birds reported there compared with other main urban centres.
The rise in reported bird numbers could have resulted from last winter's chillier conditions driving more birds into city gardens in search of food, he said.
Supporters of the survey include Landcare Research, the Ornithological Society, and Forest and Bird.
● More information.- gardenbirdsurvey.landcareresearch.co.nz nzgardenbirdsurvey on Facebook.
