FAQ

 

Do I have to watch for all 24 hours?

No. You can watch for as much or as little time as you’d like during the 24-hour period. Big Sit! participants on a team can work in shifts, as long as someone is in the circle for the duration of your Big Sit!, however long you choose to make it.

Can I leave the circle?

1. If a bird is seen or heard from within the circle but is too distant to identify, you can leave the circle to get a closer look/listen to confirm the bird’s identity.
2. You can leave and re-enter the circle as frequently as you wish, but you must be sure to return to the exact 17-foot diameter circle each time.

Does the circle have to be occupied the whole time?

 Yes, but participants in your circle can work in shifts. No one person needs to be there throughout the whole Big Sit! but there must be at least one person within the circle the whole time. That said, if you are doing a BigSit! alone, you may leave your circle briefly as needed.

Can I submit more than one eBird checklist?

No. Only one eBird checklist for each Circle can be shared with the Big Sit’s eBird account.

Can I do a Big Sit! on both Saturday and Sunday?

Not at the same circle location. However, you can set up another circle at a different location for the second day.

Why does the circle have a 17-foot/5.2-meter diameter?

The founders of the event established that diameter in 1992; it will cover most observation platforms.

Do I need to use an eBird Hotspot?

If there is an eBird Hotspot that exactly marks your location, please use it. If the eBird Hotspot only marks a generic location, it may not represent your actual location. If there is not an eBird Hotspot, please use eBird’s suggested map coordinates for location.

What if I want to create a new eBird Hotspot for my circle?

Please refer to the eBird Hotspot FAQs here: eBird Hotspot Frequently Asked Questions : Help Center

Can the circle be on a boat or a truck?

Yes, but only if the boat is moored or the truck is parked. The 17-foot/5.2-meter diameter still applies.

What is the difference between emailing my eBird checklist and “sharing” my eBird checklist with The Big Sit!?

An eBird checklist that is emailed to us will not be useful since it exists outside of the eBird software application. An eBird checklist that is “shared“ with us will give us all the functionality that eBird offers, especially including the ability to compile the final Big Sit! report. For more information and help on “sharing” your eBird checklist, see [link] Editing and Sharing Checklists.

With whom should I “share” my Big Sit! eBird checklist?

Please share your checklist with everyone who participated in your circle (if they have eBird accounts) and with us TheBigSitNHBC@gmail.com 

What if I have other questions?

Send an email to TheBigSitNHBC@gmail.com. We will reply as quickly as possible.