Birds Canada and Audubon renew partnership on annual Christmas Bird Count

Port Rowan, Ontario 

This new investment will modernize and reinvigorate the program by updating the database, technology platforms, and data collection methods. Additionally, new and improved resources will be available in French and Spanish to ultimately encourage more people from across the Western Hemisphere to participate. Birds Canada’s biodiversity database, NatureCounts, will allow for mobile data collection via smartphone, allowing for finer scale data collection and reducing the data entry burden on volunteer circle leaders. More participation means more data, but also more people taking action for birds, which is something we can’t get enough of right now. 

From just two circles in Canada during the first ever CBC in 1900 (there were 23 others in the United States), there are now close to 500 CBC circles in Canada, and more than 2,000 throughout North and South America and the Caribbean. One thing every CBC has in common, whether it’s located in Canada or Colombia, is that they rely on the volunteer contributions of non-professional nature enthusiasts. It’s a testament to the power of community and the shared appreciation of birds and the natural world. 

This occasion also serves as a reminder of the important role non-government organizations play in advancing conservation in an ever-changing political and economic landscape. Birds Canada and Audubon first formally collaborated on the Christmas Bird Count in 2001 and have since partnered on other volunteer programs like the Great Backyard Bird Count, expansion of the Motus Wildlife Tracking network, and most recently, on Conserva Aves. 

Many of the birds that breed in Canada, spend much of the calendar year, either on migration or on non-breeding territories, in countries as far south as Argentina, and everywhere in between. For some species, the CBC is the only reliable source for monitoring their populations. The IUCN Red List globally Near-Threatened Harris’s Sparrow, nests entirely within Canada in largely inaccessible areas between the boreal forest and arctic tundra, beyond the reach of most roads. During Canadian winter, Harris’s Sparrows head south to Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska, where if it weren’t for volunteers counting them on CBCs, their population declines would have gone undocumented. Monitoring birds throughout their lifecycle adds to a more complete picture of their population status and helps focus conservation efforts where they have the most impact. 

Through this renewed commitment, Birds Canada and Audubon are ensuring that the CBC continues to evolve, grow, and deliver meaningful conservation outcomes well into the future. It may be hard to think about now as we settle in for midsummer, but as the weather in Canada inevitably turns colder in the later months, keep an eye out for CBCs and join in on the holiday tradition.

“Birds Canada and Audubon are solid partners on several hemisphere-wide initiatives. This exciting agreement to improve the Christmas Bird Count is just another example of how collaboration across borders is making a real difference for bird conservation”.

Patrick Nadeau, President and CEO of Birds Canada 

“Birds are powerful indicators of environmental health, and the Christmas Bird Count gives us one of the clearest records of change across the hemisphere. For 25 years Birds Canada has been an essential partner in turning the Count’s data into action. Our renewed partnership will carry this legacy forward so more people can participate and our community science can drive even greater conservation impact.”  

Dr. Elizabeth Gray, CEO of the National Audubon Society 

About Birds Canada: Birds Canada is a national charity dedicated to bird conservation. Our mission is to drive action to increase the understanding, appreciation and conservation of birds in Canada.  

About National Audubon Society: The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. 

–     30     –