Why does the season end just as all the summer birds are starting to come back?

Project FeederWatch was established to monitor winter feeder-bird populations. The protocols were designed to most efficiently gather data about birds at feeders in winter. Expanding the project would require re-evaluating the protocol and perhaps introducing a different protocol for other seasons. It would also require adding new species to the regional species lists, reprogramming online data entry to lengthen the season, and adding staff to provide participant support for a longer period of time. The resources required would be significant. Participants get the most joy from reporting a wide variety of species, but the value of the project scientifically is actually with the mundane–monitoring the populations and distributions of regular winter feeder birds.