If you join this year’s Audubon Christmas bird count, the turkey on the table will not be the only bird you’ll see this Christmas.
The Audubon Society is holding its 123rd annual Christmas Bird Count, which runs from December 14 until January 5, 2023.
Residents living throughout the County of Brant can take part in observing and counting the birds you see in your neighborhood. Areas are set in 15 mile circles, you can register to participate and send in your count to a compiler, who will submit the results to the Audubon society, for the full count in North America.
This is the 123rd year of the count of various species of birds to learn the number and nature of the birds’ changing habitats. The changes in birds’ populations are directly connected to the effects of climate change as birds are the most sensitive and most suited to reveal the effects of climate change.
They range over great areas and their activities reveal changes in the biosphere. Migration patterns that change are the result of shelter and food shortages and greater presence of predators. Recent studies have seen a loss of three billion birds since 1970.
The Audubon society has been gathering information on birds with the help of citizen scientists who observe and record local bird activity.
“The Audubon Christmas count is a great opportunity to be part of more than 12 decades of counting science” said Geoff LeBaron, Audubon CBC Director.
The Society tabulates the results into a national picture of the status of bird species, which species is threatened and which may be thriving.
Last year, throughout the County of Brant, a variety of many familiar birds were observed including European Starlings (1,738), Canadian Geese (2,690), 39 American Robins, 22 Bald Eagles, and 66 Turkey Vultures, just to name a few.
