Join the Christmas Bird Count

The Christmas Bird Count is one of the longest-running community science projects in North America. Every winter, volunteers go out for a day and count the birds they see, and the numbers help scientists track how birds are doing over time. You don’t need to be an expert. You need warm layers, a free morning and a willingness to stand still and look.

How it works

The count is run by the National Audubon Society each winter, from around mid-December to early January. It is organised locally. Each count has its own circle, an area on the map, and a volunteer organiser, often called a compiler, who picks a day within the window and splits the circle into smaller areas. Volunteers go out in groups, count every bird they see or hear in their area and send the totals to the organiser.

Taking part is free. Your job is simple: help find birds and count them.

Find a count near you

1. Start a few weeks ahead. Groups are planned before the day.
2. Go to Audubon’s website and look for the Christmas Bird Count page. Search for counts near you.
3. Pick a count and contact the organiser listed. Say you’re a beginner and would like to join a group.
4. Ask the practical questions: where to meet, what time, how long it lasts and whether to bring lunch. Counts can last most of a day, but ask if you can join for part of it.
5. If there is no count nearby, ask about the nearest one, or look at whether you can count the birds at your own feeder instead.

Beginners are welcome. You will usually be paired with people who know the local birds, and they are glad to have extra eyes.

What to bring

• Binoculars, if you have them. If you don’t, ask whether someone in the group can lend a pair.
• Warm layers, a hat, gloves and warm socks. Standing still in the cold is much chillier than walking.
• Waterproof, sturdy shoes
• Water and a snack, and lunch if it’s a full day
• A notebook and pencil, or a bird app, to log what you see
• A field guide or a bird identification app, if you like

How to do it

1. Arrive on time and meet your group. Ask what the plan is.
2. Walk slowly and stop often. Birds are easiest to spot when you stand quietly.
3. Listen as well as look. Many birds are heard before they are seen.
4. When someone spots a bird, take a turn with the binoculars. Ask what they are looking at: the shape, the colour, the way it moves.
5. Count each bird you see, and write it down with a number. If you see a flock, ask the group how to estimate.
6. Don’t count the same bird twice. If you aren’t sure, ask the group leader.
7. Hand your list to the organiser at the end, as they’ll tell you.

What goes wrong

• You can’t tell one bird from another. Nearly everyone starts there. Ask the group, and note the colour, size and behaviour.
• Your hands are freezing. Wear thin gloves under thick mittens, so you can take the mittens off to use your binoculars.
• There are very few birds. That is a result too. Counts record what’s actually there, including a quiet day.
• The weather is bad. Check with the organiser. Counts often go ahead in cold weather, but be ready to leave early.
• You’re feeling shy. Remember that everyone started somewhere. Say you’re new, and people will happily show you.

Keep it going

When the count is over, you will probably remember more birds than you expected. Look at the species list afterwards and pick a few you’d like to know better. Putting up a bird feeder at home means you can keep counting through winter, and many birders enjoy comparing notes from one winter to the next.

Make it a winter day

Pack a thermos and a good lunch, and let the count be the plan for the day. Afterwards, go somewhere warm for something hot with the group. If you want a smaller version at home, make a bird feeder, sit by a window and see who turns up.