Christmas Bird Count turns 125 Dec 14, 2024

Christmas Bird Count turns 125

For 125 years, bird enthusiasts across North America have turned the holiday season into a festive, feathered affair with the Christmas Bird Count. Founded by ornithologist Frank Chapman as an eco-friendly twist on holiday hunting parties, this annual event replaced shotguns with binoculars. Since then, it has become one of the world"s longest-running citizen science projects. Every year from December 14 to January 5, volunteers of all ages and birding skill levels come together to survey designated areas called "circles." Each circle has a 15-mile diameter, and participants count every bird they see or hear within it. The result is a colossal snapshot of bird diversity, with data collected from over 2,500 locations each season. It"s a serious effort to track changes in bird populations, providing valuable data for scientists working to protect vulnerable species.

© pchoui/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Dec 14, 2018Time to count some birds
Dec 14, 2019The Christmas Bird Count begins
Dec 14, 2020I see one!
Dec 14, 2021American robin
Dec 14, 2022National Audubon Society s Christmas Bird Count
Dec 14, 2023Christmas Bird Count

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 6, 2019Saffron in bloom
Dec 18, 2020A towering view of the Pale Mountains
Nov 6, 2022New York City Marathon
Aug 26, 2019Classical music takes center stage
Apr 26, 2021Cheese! We ll go somewhere where there s cheese!
Mar 6, 2018Celebrating National Dentist Day
Apr 27, 2018National Park Week: Yosemite National Park, California
Jan 31, 2021A glittering diamond in the rough
May 31, 2022World Parrot Day
Oct 8, 2022World Octopus Day
Oct 2, 2020A wild and scenic scene
Jun 14, 2020Celebrating Flag Day
Apr 7, 2019Busy building wetlands
Apr 16, 2023Go Fly a Kite Day
Mar 25, 2023Cecil Brewer Staircase, London
May 22, 2019The artists come to Venice
Nov 24, 2019Autumn in the cypress swamp
Jul 27, 2020A stunning sight in Mexico s wilderness
Apr 24, 2023Old underground cellar, Bavaria, Germany
Jun 2, 2019An island for the birds
Jul 7, 2024Rice terraces of Mù Cang Chải, Yên Bái province, Vietnam
Aug 12, 2024World Elephant Day
Feb 10, 2022The Old City of Bern
May 24, 2022European Day of Parks
Apr 21, 2018Celebrating National Park Week, April 21-29
Feb 17, 2018Infant Sumatran orangutan, Indonesia
Aug 16, 2025World Honey Bee Day
Mar 17, 2022St. Patrick s Day
Aug 23, 2021A little blue
Aug 27, 2025World Lake Day in the Faroe Islands