Citizen science

Citizen science projects

Citizen science projects provide an excellent opportunity for people from all walks of life to participate in scientific research and contribute valuable information to advance current scientific knowledge.

Citizen science is particularly important for gathering biodiversity data to allow scientists and natural resource managers (such as Willoughby City Council) to better understand and protect the natural environment and its diversity of flora, fauna and fungi species.

Use this calendar to explore the range of citizen science projects you can participate in each month.

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Flora

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Fauna

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Aussie Backyard Bird Count (17-23 October)

An activity for all ages that involves observing and counting the birds that live near. By telling us about the birds you’ve seen within a 20 minute period, you will help BirdLife Australia develop an understanding of local birds, whilst getting to know the wildlife on your doorstep!

To participate, download the free Aussie Bird Count app on your mobile device and submit your observations.

Aussie Backyard Bird Count

Great Southern Bioblitz (28-31 October)

An opportunity for all Southern Hemisphere countries to record organisms during Spring and showcase our beautiful biodiversity to the world. The event is run by a grassroots network of keen citizen scientists from across the globe.

To participate, submit your observation through iNaturalist by searching for the Great Southern Bioblitz- Greater Sydney region project.

Great Southern Bioblitz 2022 - iNaturalist

Great Southern Bioblitz

Australian Pollinator Week (9-17 November 2024)

Australian Pollinator Week is a designated week in spring to acknowledge and raise awareness of the importance of pollinators and support their needs.

To participate, check out the Australian Pollinator Week website for event details.

Australian Pollinator Week

Frog ID (11-20 November)

FrogID week is Australia’s biggets frog count, held annually for Australians to help record frog calls through the free FrogID app, as a measurement of frog health and distribution around the nation. It aims to monitor frog distributions over time, helping us to understand how frogs and their ecosystems are responding to a changing planet.

To participate, use the free FrogID app to record and submit frog calls.

FrogID

Powerful Owl Project (year-round)

The Powerful Owl project aims to inspire and educate the general public about powerful owl conservation. Owl sightings submitted by citizen scientists are used to better understand their distribution and manage owl populations and habitats.

To participate, report your sightings on Birdata.

Birdata FAQs

Powerful Owl Project

FoxScan (year-round)

Foxes are an introduced pest and a major predator wildlife. FoxScan aims to use fox sighting records to manage foxes more effectively to reduce the damage they cause.

To participate, report your sightings to the FoxScan website or free app.

Fox Scan

Moth Tracker

Each spring, Bogong Moths start to migrate, up to 1,000 km, to Australia's alpine zone, where they form an important part of the diet of the critically endangered Mountain Pygmy-possums.

Help scientists better understand the movement and decline of the endangered Bogong Moths by submitting your moth sightings.

To participate, report your sightings on Moth tracker.

Moth tracker

Echidna CSI (year-round)

A citizen science project designed to collect echidna sighting data and scat samples to better understand their distributions and health across Australia.

To participate, report your sightings to the Echidna CSI app, or send in scat samples

EchidnaCSI

The Great Cicada Blitz (Summer months)

Australia has the richest diversity of cicadas in the world (over 350 but up to as many as 1,000 species). Very little is known about the ecological preferences of Australian cicadas. Sightings of cicadas and the plant species they around on will help better understand their distributions across Australia.

To participate, report your observations through iNaturalist by searching for the Great Cicada Blitz project.

The Great Cicada Blitz

City Nature Challenge: Greater Sydney (26 to 29 April 2024)

The City Nature Challenge is an international effort for people to find and document plants, fungi and wildlife in cities across the globe. Join other cities around the world on a 4-day activity in which participants discover and record as many species across the Greater Sydney Region as possible.

To participate, submit your observation through iNaturalist by searching for the City Nature Challenge project.

City Nature Challenge 2024 - iNaturalist

City Nature Challenge 2024

Backyard Species Discovery with Bush Blitz (year-round)

Bush Blitz is Australia’s largest nature discovery program. It aims to document plants and animals across Australia.

To participate, submit your observation through iNaturalist by searching for the Backyard Species Discovery with Bush Blitz project.

Backyard Species Discovery with Bush Blitz

Bush Blitz

Australia's Untold Roadtoll - Recording Roadkill and Road Trauma

Car strikes and roadkill present a serious challenge for many of our wildlife, particularly in urbanised areas. This project aims to record data regarding wildlife roadkill on Australian roads, to help better inform road ecology decision making.

To participate, report your observations through iNaturalist by searching for the Australia’s untold roadtoll – recording roadkills and road trauma.

Australia's Untold Roadtoll - iNaturalist

TurtleSAT

TurtleSAT is a Citizen Science mapping tool produced by the 1 Million Turtles Community Conservation program. TurtleSAT allows communities to map the location of freshwater turtles in waterways and wetlands across the country.

To participate, report your sightings on TurtleSAT

TurtleSAT

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