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Audubon’s
"Christmas Bird Count" Ready for Take-off
By Sarah Breeyear Hyde
Managing Editor & Director of Photography
Do you know your yellow-bellied sapsuckers from your bay-breasted warblers? Well, whether you do or not, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count is a New England Tradition for bird lovers of all levels of bird-watching expertise and ages. And participating in it will allow you to learn all sorts of species distinctions.
This wonderful and helpful event was begun in 1900 by ornithologist Frank Chapman, an officer in the then growing Audubon Society. At the time, birds numbers were declining. They were hunted for their feathers rather than being recognized for their beauty. Chapman decided to start a tradition that would help preserve the bird populations and initiate local interest in birds.
On December 25, 1900, twenty-five Christmas Bird Counts were held and 90 species were accounted for. Thanks to Chapman's ambitions, the Christmas Bird Counts continue to be a hit with people around the world today.
Each year, from December 14 through January 5, thousands of birders take up their binoculars and notebooks and hit the fields and feeders to record as many bird species as they can during that period.
 Volunteers are limited to a 15-mile radius to look for the birds that habitate or pass through the area. Most of the counts take place in North America, particularly in New England, but there is a large number of volunteers in Central and South America, as well. Think of it as a bird census; an important event that helps ornithologists track populations, migration pathways and whether or not a particular species is in decline. The Audubon Society takes the data compiled by the volunteers and uses it to learn more about bird behavior and conservation, which benefits everyone.
While watching your home feeder in New England during the winter, you are most likely to see Cardinals and Blue Jays as well as Black-Capped Chickadees and White-breasted Nuthatches. Those of you who decide to go tromping into the woods in search of yet other specicies will likely see warblers and woodpeckers, Grosbeaks and Thrushes. But wherever you are, you can enjoy the uniqueness each one of these little creatures has to offer.
Take note of the coloring, beak size and songs of each bird you see, and you will notice that no two species act or look the same. If you go out with a local group, you will probably meet an experienced bird watcher along the way who will teach you the tricks of the trade, such as the nuances of how to attract birds and where you should stand to maximize the number of birds you see.
The best way to become an expert birder is to listen, listen, listen! The hardest aspect of birdwatching is identifying the songs. But, with time and patience, you will master the melodies of local birds. You should then challenge yourself to learn more bird songs by hiking into the woods.
So, if in the next few weeks you see excited people with binoculars desperately scribbling on notebooks and peering into the bushes for our little feathered friends, don’t be alarmed! They aren't newspeople, but rather more likely volunteers for the Christmas Bird Count, so join in the fun. This is a great opportunity for the whole family to spend time together, to make this a Christmas tradition and something to enjoy for years to come.
To learn more about this wonderful event and to participate, visit www.audubon.org and enjoy an important aspect of what nature has to offer.
Eagle photo © copyright 2002, Apple Computer, All Rights Reserved.
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