Audubon North Carolina invites birdwatchers to participate in the longest-running community science survey in the world, Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Between December 14 and January 5, hundreds of bird-loving volunteers will take part in counts across North Carolina.

Each individual count takes place in a 15-mile-wide circle and is led by a compiler responsible for organizing volunteers and submitting observations to Audubon. In the 56 circles in North Carolina, participants tally all birds seen or heard that day, giving scientists a clear picture of the health of local populations.

During the 2016 North Carolina CBC, volunteers across the state counted 872,508 individual birds of 228 species.

“It’s never been easier or more important to be a citizen scientist,” said Curtis Smalling, director of conservation with Audubon North Carolina. “Birds and the people who watch them are noticing changes. Using the annual data gathered by the Christmas Bird Count, Audubon North Carolina will be better able to protect our birds and the places they need.”

Christmas Bird Count data have been used in more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, including Audubon’s landmark Birds and Climate Change Report, which found that more than half of the bird species in North America are threatened by a changing climate.

When combined with other surveys such as the Breeding Bird Survey, it provides a picture of how the continent's bird populations have changed over the past 118 years. The long-term perspective is vital for conservationists. It informs strategies to protect birds and their habitat, and helps identify environmental issues with implications for people as well.

“The Christmas Bird Count helps us understand how North Carolina’s bird populations have changed over the past 118 years. This long-term perspective is vital for our conservation work,” said Audubon North Carolina Executive Director Heather Hahn. “It’s also an incredible experience for our participating members, as we utilize their data to help our birds when and where they need us the most.”

Last year, the 117th Christmas Bird Count included a record-setting 2,536 count circles, with 1,933 counts in the United States, 447 in Canada and 156 in Latin America, the Caribbean, Bermuda and the Pacific Islands. In total, 73,153 observers out in the field tallied up 56,139,812 birds representing 2,636 different species.

About the Christmas Bird Count

Beginning on Christmas Day in 1900, Dr. Frank M. Chapman, founder of Bird-Lore – which evolved into Audubon magazine -- proposed a new holiday tradition that would count birds during the holidays rather than hunt them. Conservation was in its beginning stages in that era, and many observers and scientists were becoming concerned about declining bird populations. 118 years later, the Christmas Bird Count continues to bring local birdwatchers together for the holidays in support of science and the wildlife they love.

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is a citizen science project organized by the National Audubon Society. There is no fee to participate and the quarterly report, American Birds, is available online. Counts are open to birders of all skill levels and Audubon’s free Bird Guide app makes it even easier to chip in. For more information and to find a count near you visit www.christmasbirdcount.org.

About Audubon North Carolina

With over a century of conservation history in North Carolina, Audubon strives to conserve and restore the habitats we share with all wildlife, focusing on the needs of birds. Audubon North Carolina achieves its mission through a blend of science-based research and conservation, education and outreach, and advocacy. Audubon North Carolina has offices in Corolla, Boone, Wilmington and Chapel Hill. Learn more at nc.audubon.org and @audubonnc.

About Audubon

The National Audubon Society saves birds and their habitats throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation. Audubon's state programs, nature centers, chapters and partners have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire and unite diverse communities in conservation action. Since 1905, Audubon's vision has been a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Audubon is a nonprofit conservation organization. Learn more at www.audubon.org and follow @audubonsociety.