Great Backyard Bird Count 2021 could be biggest ever Updated Feb 10, 2021; Posted Feb 10, 2021 The blue jay is one of the top 10 most counted birds annually in the Great Backyard Bird Count. (GBBC photo) Facebook Share The 24th annual GBBC is scheduled for Friday, February 12, through Monday, February 15. All birding indices, from sales of bird feeders and seed to downloads of bird-identification apps, have trended significantly upward during the coronavirus pandemic. Last year a record 268,674 participants (up from 224,781) submitted 249,444 checklists reporting the 6,942 bird species they spotted during the GBBC (up from 204,921 checklists and 6,699 species). And, as in every GBBC since the very first, birders in Pennsylvania were among the top in 2020. They submitted 8,899 checklists, placing the state fifth behind California, with 13,331 checklists; New York, 10,535; Texas, 10,193; and Florida, 10,976. Rounding out the top 10 last year were Virginia, 7,088; Ohio, 7,063; North Carolina, 6,419; Washington, 6.255; and Michigan, 5,314.