12/17 Christmas Bird Count

Nov 25, 2011 by Stephanie

Join us in our ongoing effort to document the park’s wildlife, and participate in citizen science! We were invited through the Birding Club of Delaware County to participate in the Christmas Bird Count (CBC), an official census of bird populations in the Western Hemisphere.

Saturday, December 17
8:15-10:15am
Park entrance at 3rd & West Streets

The CBC was started on Christmas Day 1900 by the Audubon Society, in reaction to the tradition known as the Christmas “Side Hunt”: whoever brought in the biggest pile of feathered (and furred) quarry won. Instead of hunt birds, the CBC would count them!

In this early-winter bird census, thousands of volunteers across the US, Canada, and many countries in the Western Hemisphere go out over a 24 hour period to count birds. CBC volunteers count every bird they see or hear. It’s not just a species tally—all birds are counted all day, giving an indication of the total number of birds in an area.

How is this data used?

This data is used by researchers, conservation biologists, and interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. For example, in the 1980’s CBC data were used to document the decline of wintering populations of the American Black Duck, and conservation measures were taken to reduce hunting pressure on this species.

Logistics

We will meet at the 3rd & West Street park entrance at 8:15 sharp. We will count birds as thoroughly as possible for two hours in the park, and then some of us will continue observations throughout the day. Experienced and novice birdwatchers welcome, just remember this is an official census so we will be working- if you can call walking in the park and admiring wildlife working! Of course, bring your binoculars and bird guides!