What is the Audubon Christmas Bird Count?

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The Alberta Society for Injured Birds of Prey invites birdwatchers to participate in the longest-running community science survey, the annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) on December 30th, 2023.
Birders and nature enthusiasts in Strathcona County will take part in the 36th year of this tradition, many rising before dawn to participate taking a walk during daylight hours in nature or watching from their bird feeders counting birds.

“The Christmas Bird Count is a great tradition and opportunity for everyone to be a part of 124 years of ongoing community science,” Your observations add to over twelve decades of data that help scientists and conservationists discover trends that make our work more impactful. Participating in the Christmas Bird Count is a fun and meaningful way to spend a winter for anyone and everyone.

When combined with other surveys such as the Breeding Bird Survey, Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count provides a picture of how the continent's bird populations have changed in time and space over the past hundred years. The long-term perspective is vital for conservationists. It informs strategies to protect birds and their habitat, and helps identify environmental issues with implications for people as well. For example, Science published a study using decades of Audubon Christmas Bird Count data to describe a grim picture: a steady decline of nearly three billion North American birds since 1970, primarily as a result of human activities. Christmas Bird Count data has been used in more than 300 peer-reviewed articles.

Birders of all ages are welcome to contribute to this fun, nationwide community science project, which provides ornithologists with a crucial snapshot of our native bird populations during the winter months. Each individual count is performed in a count circle with a diameter of 15 miles. At least ten
volunteers, including a compiler to coordinate the process, count in each circle. The volunteers break up into small parties and follow assigned routes, which change little from year to year, counting every bird they see. In most count circles, some people also watch feeders instead of following routes.

To sign up for the Strathcona County Count please fill out the registration form on this page.