The Christmas Bird Count: What It Is and How You Can Be Part of It
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Time to read 6 min
The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is the longest-running community science initiative in the world. For more than a century, birdwatchers have been coming together during the Christmas-to-New-Year’s holiday season to conduct an avian census. The data collected helps scientists track bird populations and highlights urgent conservation needs.
The participants, all of them volunteers, bring different levels of experience to the project. Some are experts, some are long-term hobbyists, and some are beginners, but all of them share a love for birds and a desire to make a difference.
Read on to learn more about the origins of the count at the turn of the last century, how it’s organized today, why it matters to both birds and birders, and how you can get involved (spoiler: it’s easy).
Table of Contents
Christmas Bird Count history: from killing birds to counting them
The Christmas Bird Count began as an alternative to an even older tradition. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many Americans celebrated the Christmas holiday by shooting birds. The “Side Hunt,” as it was called, involved teams of friends and family members heading out in the early morning of Christmas Day, shotguns in hand. The team that notched the most kills won the hunt. A few of the dead birds were incorporated into the holiday dinner, others were plucked and their plumes sold to the feather trade, and the rest – that is to say, most of them – were discarded.
The Christmas hunt typified the excess that led to the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon, once the most abundant bird in North America, and the decimation of other bird species. By the late 19th Century, the early conservation movement had begun to push back against the slaughter of the continent’s wildlife. Ornithologist Frank Chapman was part of this movement, and in 1900, he had an idea. Instead of killing birds on Christmas Day, why not count them? Chapman published his suggestion in the magazine Bird Lore, the publication of the loose network of local bird protection groups that would soon become the National Audubon Society.
The first count was an informal affair, involving 27 participants in 25 locations across the United States and Canada, from Scotch Lake in New Brunswick to Pacific Grove in California. The counters dutifully entered their local weather conditions and the hours they spent in the field – or, in at least one case, looking out their window – as well as the species they identified, and the number of individuals of each species seen.
The species list did not include any Passenger Pigeons. The last confirmed wild bird of that species had been shot by a hunter in Ohio the previous spring.
How the Christmas Bird Count works today
Now the Christmas Bird Count is a hemisphere-wide event, with counts in the United States, Canada, Mexico and a growing number of countries throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean.
The National Audubon Society is the global coordinator, and oversees the protocol, data management, and annual results. Local compilers—often from Audubon chapters, bird clubs, universities, conservation groups, and nature centers—manage local counts.
The local Christmas Bird counts take place in roughly 2,700 pre-established geographic circles, each with a 15-mile diameter. Once a circle has been established, it’s final and can’t be changed. And while local compilers establish their own count date, they must do so within a fixed window running from December 14 to January 5. This structure helps ensure that count data remain comparable over time.
Compilers, who are volunteers themselves, recruit and train other volunteers, make sure important habitats within their circle are covered, collect and verify counts from individuals and teams, and finally compile the circle’s results, submitting them through Audubon’s system.
In 2024, a record 83,109 volunteer counters participated.
Why the Christmas Bird Count matters
The Christmas Bird Count benefits both birds and the people who love them.
Benefits for birds
The Christmas Bird Count began as a conservation initiative, and it’s still an important tool for conservation and environmental protection. By counting birds in a consistent manner during a defined season over an extended period, the Christmas Bird Count allows researchers to assess population health, identify species in decline, and document shifting winter ranges. According to the National Audubon Society, more than 300 peer-reviewed scientific articles draw on Christmas Bird Count data.
This research informs policy. Efforts to gain protection under the Endangered Species Act often cite the Christmas Bird Count. By documenting declines in wintering grassland birds, the count has spurred state and local efforts to restore grassland habitats. It’s helped dramatize the impact of climate change and understand its implications for bird conservation. Because the count covers the entire Western hemisphere, crossing the same international borders that migratory birds do, it’s helped shape international conservation strategies.
Benefits for people
While birds are the intended beneficiaries, the count also builds and strengthens human connections among birders. Tromping through the winter landscape with old and new friends is a lot of fun, and being part of a big, collective effort is immensely satisfying. Some Christmas Bird Count circles have institutionalized this community-building aspect by hosting count dinners, where teams eat, drink, swap stories and watch as results are combined and tallied; the vibe is part family reunion, part Election Night, and part Super Bowl.
A group of birders watches the coastline together, highlighting the community and connection that come from birding.
How to join the Christmas Bird Count
The Christmas Bird Count is open to everyone, regardless of their level of experience. Getting involved is easy, but it does require you to follow a few basic steps. You’ll need to find your local circle; sign up for either a team or a feeder count; familiarize yourself with the count’s procedures; and finally, show up on count day.
- Find your local circle. Click here for a map of count circles, and then zoom in on your area. Once you’ve identified your circle, click on the bird icon. Information about that circle’s count will pop up, including the name and email address of the compiler, your point of contact.
- Sign up. Your compiler will guide you through this process, whether that means joining a team that will be going out in the field, or doing an individual feeder watch.
- Familiarize yourself with the count. If you sign up for a field team, you’ll most likely be paired with an experienced counter who will guide you through the ins and outs. Even so, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the count’s procedures. If you sign up for an individual feeder count, learning the procedures is crucial to ensure your data meet the Christmas Bird Count’s standards. The National Audubon Society has compiled detailed instructions for feeder watchers, which you can read here. For a broader overview, sign up to receive a pre-recorded training webinar.
- Show up. On count day, meet your team as arranged by the compiler or team leader. Be sure to dress for the weather and terrain; if you’ll be out for an extended period, bring snacks and fluids. Most important of all, have fun!
For more information and resources, check out the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count page.
Conclusion
The Christmas Bird Count is meaningful, it’s friendly to beginners, it’s a great learning opportunity, and it’s a lot of fun. If the idea of the Christmas Bird Count intrigues you, follow the simple steps above to get involved and get counting.
FAQ
Do I need to be an experienced birder to participate?
No. Beginners are welcome, and most field teams include experienced counters who can help identify species
Is the Christmas Bird Count free?
Yes. Participation is free and open to everyone.
When does the Christmas Bird Count take place?
All counts occur between December 14 and January 5 each year.
What happens to the data collected?
The results are submitted to the National Audubon Society and used by researchers, conservation organizations, and policymakers to track bird populations and guide conservation action.
