The National Audubon Society holds an annual bird searching and reporting event each year around Christmas and the New Year. This year’s event, the 124th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count, runs from December 14, 2023, to January 5, 2024.
The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) began as a way of promoting conservation by counting birds, rather than hunting them, on Christmas Day of 1900. Audubon and other organizations use the data collected in this long-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations and to help direct conservation action.
The data collected by observers over the past century allows Audubon researchers, conservation biologists and wildlife agencies to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America. The long-term perspective is vital for conservationists because it allows for the creation of plans to protect birds and their habitats.
If you’re out with the CBC or just enjoying nature, you may come across the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler which can be found in the Brazos River’s Central Basin.
Golden-cheeked Warblers nest in mature Ashe juniper/hardwood forests and woodlands near and within ravines or canyons. The peeling bark found only on mature juniper trees is required by these migratory birds for nest building, making them extreme habitat specialists. Golden-cheeked Warblers breed exclusively in Central Texas.
Here are the steps to get involved with this year’s Christmas bird count:
- Visit the FAQ page for all the details.
- Find a location on their map showing a count happening near you, locations in green and yellow are open for new participants.
- Email the compiler on the map location, in advance, to tell them you’ll be participating.
There are multiple locations within the Brazos River basin:
Upper Basin
- Muleshoe
- Lubbock County
- Abilene
- Proctor Lake
- Erath County
- Whitney Lake
Central Basin
- Crawford
- Waco
- Fort Cavasos
- Bell County
- Georgetown
- Granger
- Round Rock
Lower Basin
- College Station
- Cypress Creek
- Fort Bend
- Brazos Bend
- Brazoria-Columbia Bottomlands
Audubon has a bird guide app that is free to download and available for IOS or Android. The app can help you identify a bird you may not recognize; it offers a search of their field guide with over 800 species of North American birds, and you can even keep track of your birding stats by recording every bird you encounter.
Whether you are participating in the CBC, hiking a trail, sitting on the porch, or simply catching a glimpse of birds out the window, the National Audubon Society has something for everyone.