What is Community Science?
Community Science is the practice of public participation and collaboration in scientific research to increase scientific knowledge. Through community science, people share and contribute to data monitoring and collection programs.
From adults to children, anyone can participate in community science! Here are some opportunities:
- iNaturalist: This app and website allows you to record your encounters with other organisms and maintain a life list. It can also help you identify the organisms you find! www.inaturalist.org
- Butterflies:
- Monarch Watch – Tag and monitor Monarch Butterflies: www.monarchwatch.org
- Monarch Larval Monitoring Project – Look for and report the number of monarch eggs, caterpillars, and pupae that you see each week: www.mlmp.org
- North American Butterfly Association – Keep track of every butterfly you see, not just Monarchs: www.naba.org
- Birds:
- Christmas Bird Count – Go out on one day and record all the birds you see. This count has been going on for over 100 years! www.audubon.org/Bird/cbc
- Great Backyard Bird Count – Observe birds for only 15 minutes over a four day weekend! http://gbbc.birdcount.org/
- Celebrate Urban Birds – Get involved with birds and community activities in urban and suburban areas: https://celebrateurbanbirds.org/
- NestWatch – Find and monitor bird nests: https://nestwatch.org/
- Project Feeder Watch – Watch and record birds at your feeders: www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw
- BirdSleuth – www.birds.cornell.edu/birdsleuth
- ebird – Track and share your bird sightings anywhere, any time: ebird.org
- Frogs:
- FrogWatch – Lots of information about frogs and toads to help you learn to identify them: www.aza.org/frogwatch
- Music of Nature – Learn what different frogs sound like–and lots more animals besides! www.musicofnature.org
- North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP) – Learn what different frogs sound like, then go for a drive listening for frogs (this website is very slow to load): www.pwrc.usgs.gov/naamp
- Insects:
- Lost Ladybug Project – Learn to identify different Ladybugs and record the pictures you take of them: www.lostladybug.org
- BugGuide – If you’ve found an insect you can’t identify, this is THE place to go for help! www.bugguide.net