Why the Christmas Bird Count Matters: A Century of Citizen Science

By now you’ve likely come across the idea of Christmas Bird Counts (CBC), but if you’ve never participated, you likely have a lot of questions. How did they come to be, why do they matter, and how can I join?

During the 1800s, it was popular tradition to embark on a Christmas Side Hunt, where the men of town would hunt virtually everything that moved, with the winner being he who had the largest pile, and the women would cook the quarry into a large feast for all to enjoy. With ideas of conservation in their earliest stages at the turn of the century, ornithologist Frank M. Chapman organized the first ever Christmas Bird Census, proposing the idea of observing and tallying the species rather than killing and consuming them. Thus, in 1900 the CBC was born. Twenty-five Christmas Bird Counts were held across the country, tallying 90 species by 27 observers. Last year, in its 125th year, the Audubon Christmas Bird Count occurred in 21 countries, totaling over 2600 count circles, with over 80,000 observers tallying 2,380 species!

So, what is a count circle? This is the standardized methodology of the count. Each count area is defined strictly by a circle 15 miles in diameter that is placed permanently for long-term consistency and data quality. It is likely that you live in or near one of these circles. During one chosen 24-hour period between December 14-January 5th, observers fan out across the circle, covering as much territory and counting as many of the birds as possible. Once night falls, observers typically end the count with a compilation dinner where results are compiled and reviewed, and the day’s experiences are shared. Most circles are divided into sections, allowing leaders to adopt and coordinate efforts in each specific section, and providing friendly competition for which section can observe the most species or beat their own section’s previous records.

For me personally, the Christmas Bird Count must not be missed! I began participating in the count as a child, submitting FeederWatch data for the Rochester CBC. Now I’ve grown to coordinating the effort as a section leader and participating in as many counts as possible each season. The educational opportunities are immense; new birders are always welcome to learn under the wing of veterans. These counts are an excellent way to garner an appreciation and understanding of historical and current bird records in your area, not to mention immerse yourself in the birding community. I’ve forged some of my deepest bonds and made lifelong memories through these counts. Counting birds for a whole day, enveloped in rich holiday tradition, then gathering for a feast with familiar and like-minded faces is just too darn rewarding.

The CBC provides a leading example of the power of citizen science. There is now over a century of data compiled for a number of circles and robust, long-term datasets are exceedingly rare in science. These numbers can and are being used to evaluate population trends and range shifts of American bird species, which in turn informs conservation action across the continent. It is always refreshing to engage in birding where every individual matters, from the rarest vagrant species down to counting each and every European Starling and Rock Pigeon you come across. You’ll be motivated to uncover and dive into every pocket of habitat in your section. Getting a glimpse at as much of that creek as you can to count every duck and heron or trudging through the grassland to track down every last sparrow. And it’s also a great excuse to get out and do some pre-dawn owling for the most eager and energetic!

Now whether you’ll be bundling up in the Northeast or hitting the trail with sunglasses in South Florida or Texas, get out there and count some Christmas birds!

Visit https://gis.audubon.org/christmasbirdcount/ to locate an active circle near you and start counting this season!

The Houston area is a CBC powerhouse holding counts that rank nationally among the highest species totals. View a list of Houston & Upper Texas Coast counts at https://houstonaudubon.org/programs/birding/christmas-bird-counts/