LANSING, MICH. -- The holidays hold a particularly special place in the hearts of many birdwatchers.
It’s the time of year when the beloved tradition known as the Christmas Bird Count, or CBC, brings together birders of all ages and experience levels to participate in the nation’s longest-running bird-focused community science project.
Founded on Christmas Day in 1900, after a New York ornithologist proposed a “Christmas Bird Census” as an alternative to what was then a holiday tradition of bird hunting, the CBC is, essentially, a giant tally of birds. What began with just a few dozen participants has grown to involve tens of thousands of volunteers across the U.S., Canada, and beyond, all counting bird species and numbers in their communities on specified dates during the holiday season.
The data gathered each year as part of the CBC has become critical information for researchers and conservationists, especially as bird populations have suffered staggering losses in recent decades due to habitat loss and climate change.
This year, MI Birds — a public outreach program by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Audubon Great Lakes — is sounding the call for Michigan birdwatchers to join in on their local bird counts, which will take place over a 24-hour period between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5.
“It’s a really great tradition,” said Erin Rowan, conservation and MI Birds program associate. “I think it’s a great opportunity to get the whole family involved and contribute to a really great community science project.”
Rowan said that the COVID-19 pandemic may temporarily affect some long-loved CBC traditions such as gathering with fellow local birders after the count. But the flipside to the 2020 count is that some Michiganders will get to see rare birds, as the state is currently experiencing an “irruption year,” when birds that usually spend their winters much farther north are now being found in southern parts of the state.
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As for those who want to contribute to a bird count but can’t get outdoors or prefer to do their birdwatching from, say, a cozy couch? Winter feeder surveys are a great alternative, Rowan said.
From now through through spring 2021, two feeder surveys -- Cornell University’s Project FeederWatch, and Kalamazoo Nature Center’s Michigan Winter Feeder Watch -- offer people the chance to participate in important research simply by observing bird feeders in their backyard.
“The feeder watches are giving us insights into what birds are moving into more suburban areas and urban areas than maybe we previously thought,” Rowan said. “The big benefits are being able to do it from the comfort of your own home while still contributing to science, and having a really great way to still connect with nature if you can’t get outside.”
To learn more about the Christmas Bird Count and find an organizer near you, visit audubon.org/conservation/join-christmas-bird-count.
Information on Cornell University’s Project FeederWatch is at feederwatch.org/join-or-renew/.
Information about the Kalamazoo Nature Center’s Winter Feeder Watch can be found at naturecenter.org/Conservation/Citizen-Science.
For more on MI Birds and the organization’s education opportunities, programs and other projects, visit gl.audubon.org/conservation/bird-friendly-communities/mi-birds or facebook.com/MIBirdspage.
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Love watching birds? Join in on this 120-year-old beloved Christmas tradition - MLive.com
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