Is that really a bluebird in December? Just an aberration or part of a larger pattern?  Wouldn’t it be fun to know what other people are seeing and be part of an important conservation effort a as well? The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is one way people can make their sightings official and track both changing populations and migrations. It runs from December 14 to January 5 and 2023 will be the 124th year. It is one of the longest running wildlife censuses in the world. Jillian Liner, the Director of Conservation for Audubon VT, said that it shows how birds are doing and where they are. She also said that the length and scope of it are two of the most important aspects of the CBC.   

Liner said that CBC data has been noting some recent trends in migration patterns and behavior. One example she gave is that bluebirds have been either staying longer into the winter or not migrating at all due to increasingly milder winters. While December may seem like an odd time to do a bird count, Liner said that it is a time of year when birds are mostly “settled” and the CBC can capture birds in a largely permanent location. 

If people are interested in participating, they can go onto the Audubon website and get contact information for their local area. Liner said however, that people can also call the local Audubon chapters. Participants go out in 15 mile wide circles and they record their sightings on paper of both species and total numbers of birds seen. The circles are run by a compiler who organizes volunteers and submits the data. Liner also said compilers will usually pair new birders with more experienced birders as well.

Prior to the twentieth century, hunters held a Christmas “side hunt” in which they competed over who killed the most birds. As concerns over declining populations grew, scientists looked for ways to encourage conservation. Ornithologist Frank Chapman proposed a Christmas bird count and the first one was held in 1900. It included 27 birders in locations from Toronto to California and tallied 90 species. By comparison, according to http://www.audubon.org, last year’s CBC included 79,005 observers with a total of 40 million birds counted from 2500 different species.

Counting birds and other wildlife shows population changes and can also provide data as to what conservation measures might be needed. However, there are far more birds than scientists can count on their own and having volunteers gives a more accurate data set. In addition, it is a chance to connect to the larger world and maybe have a new and fun experience. (For more on community science and wildlife in the winter, see July 2023 and February 2021 articles).