Christmas Bird Count - Community Science in Action

Red-tailed hawk gets
counted!

by F. Portmann

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count, a tradition first proposed by ornithologist Frank M. Chapman on Christmas Day 1900, is the nation's longest-running community-science bird project. New York City Audubon plays its part in this annual bird population survey, which is now conducted across North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Pacific Islands. The data collected by observers over the past century allow researchers, conservation biologists, and other interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. View the full history of the Audubon Christmas Bird Count and the compiled nationwide data here.

To see this year’s results from all over the country as they come in, as well as to get historical data from years prior, visit Audubon’s website here.

The 119th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count will take place nationwide and in all five boroughs of New York City this December. NYC Audubon is responsible for reporting data for the Lower Hudson Count Circle, which includes all of Manhattan and parts of New Jersey. And we host Manhattan’s Central Park compilation gathering at the Central Park Arsenal each year (details below).

Central Park Count (December 16, 2018) Schedule:

8am: Meet at the South Pump Station of the Reservoir (85th Street & 5th Avenue). All counting groups will be escorted by Urban Park Rangers.

12:30pm: Data tally and refreshments at the Arsenal Gallery (3rd floor of the Arsenal at 64th Street & 5th Avenue).

Dress warmly and don’t forget your binoculars!

To participate, please RSVP for the Central Park Audubon Christmas Bird Count on Eventbrite here.

Each circle’s count day ends with a gathering in a warm place, where participants refuel and socialize as territory coordinators work together to compile the data for the entire circle. New participants, even those less skilled at spotting and identifying, are welcome in all boroughs. Compilers will ensure participants are directed to territories where they would be most useful. A participant can join a different count every year—or even several counts in the same year if they occur on different days within the count period. As noted in National Audubon’s 2014 Birds & Climate Change Report, the CBC plays an essential role in monitoring the health of our bird populations. But it’s also a lot of fun, so sign up! To get more information or sign up for any New York City counts, please contact the coordinator for each borough, below:

Count	Date	Coordinator	Email
Brooklyn	Saturday, 12/15, 2018	Roberta Manian	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Staten Island	Saturday, 12/15, 2018	Cliff Hagen	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Manhattan	Sunday, 12/16, 2018	Kaitlyn Parkins	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Queens	Sunday, 12/16, 2018	Corey Finger	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Bronx	Sunday, 12/23, 2018	Michael Bochnik	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.