Christmas Bird Counts In Your Area

Are you an avid birder, or just someone who wants to learn more about birds in your area?  The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a great way to find birding hot spots in your hometown.  CBC's begin on December 14 and run through January 5th, so there is still time to take advantage of this opportunity. 

Speaking from personal experience, bird counts are what gave me my introduction to birding, and really helped me with my identification skills--which still leave much to be desired, but I am working on it.  If you are a novice birder you will be teamed up with expert birders who will be able to help you learn some of the initial identification skills needed to become an expert birder! Binoculars are all you really need to spend a day out in the woods learning about the avian residents near you. 

The CBC is organized by the National Audubon Society and provides data that is used by conservation groups to learn about the population in their area which is indicative of the overall health of the local ecology.  Check HERE to find a CBC near you! Dress warmly, take some binoculars, and spend a day outside counting birds--be ready for the long haul, depending on your compiler these counts can last from dawn until dusk!!