It’s a simple question, but perhaps one that people don’t ask often enough. Birds are one of the few forms of wildlife that just about everyone, everywhere, encounters every day. While answering this question for ourselves might serve to remind us of the natural world right in front of our eyes, gathering the collective responses of many people throughout California and beyond stands to be something entirely different. What will it all mean? What will it tell us about birds or ourselves? Who knows? Let’s give it a try and see what happens. You can leave your answer in the comments section below, but we'd prefer you use this survey link, as that will make it easier for us to compile your answers.

If you’re not sure what you saw, try to remember the general features of the bird and visit an online identification resource such as Audubon Guides, then come back.

Check back with us on Facebook, Twitter, or our blog this afternoon to see the results.