The Cochrane Christmas Bird Count kicks off on January 5, 2020. The Christmas Bird Count takes place in over 2000 places around the Western Hemisphere and is the longest-running citizen science project. 

Kirsten Pearson, Count Coordinator for the Cochrane Christmas Bird Count explains what the Christmas Bird Count is “Basically between December 14th and January 5th of every year, there is Christmas Bird Counts across North America. It’s a chance to get a snapshot of the birdlife in a particular area on that given day.“

“A bunch of people go out into predetermined areas or along routes, they count all the birds they can see and hear. That way nothing gets double-counted and you get a good cross-section of the birdlife that around.”

That information is then collected and goes on to form one of the world’s biggest wildlife surveys. The results will be used by naturalists and conservation biologists around the world to follow trends in bird population and distribution.

If you would like to join The Cochrane Christmas Bird Count you can register here