Local Big Year
Want to boost your birdwatching skills without going far? A Local Big Year is a fun challenge where you try to identify as many bird species as you can in your local area over 12 months. This guide shows you how to get started - with tips on choosing your patch, recording your sightings, and keeping it simple.
What is a Big Year?
A Big Year is a personal birdwatching challenge where you try to identify as many bird species as possible within a set area over one calendar year. There are no official rules in Australia, but here are a few common guidelines based on the American Birding Association:
You can count a bird once it’s either seen or heard (playing recorded bird calls to attract birds is not allowed).
You’re encouraged to ask local birders for tips.
It’s based on the honour system — but it helps to take photos or audio recordings when possible.
There are no prizes — just the fun of the challenge and the joy of seeing more birds.
Doing a full national or international Big Year can take a lot of time and money. That’s where the Local Big Year comes in.
What is a Local Big Year?
A Local Big Year is the same idea but closer to home. You choose your own boundaries for where you’ll do your birding over the year. You could base it on:
Your suburb
Your local government area (LGA)
Your state or territory
The boundaries are totally up to you.
When should I start?
Big Years typically run from January 1 to December 31, but you can start yours any time. Just track 12 months from your chosen start date.
What do I need?
You don’t need fancy gear, just a way to record what you see and a few basic tools. Here’s what can help:
Recording Method
Track the birds you see using a notebook, a spreadsheet, or a free app like eBird.
Most birders log the species name, date, location, and sometimes the time.
Read the Weekend Birder guide for building a lifer list.
Binoculars
While you can ID many birds with your eyes, binoculars help you see more detail.
Read the Weekend Birder guides Buy Binoculars and Use Binoculars.
Field Guide or Apps
Use a field guide (book or app) to help you identify what you’re seeing. The more familiar you become with your local species, the more confident you’ll get.
Read the Weekend Birder guide about identifying birds by sight.
Podcast episodes
Weekend Birder podcast is here to help you with your Local Big Year. Here’s some advice from a group of people who did one in 2024:
