The first Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was inaugurated on Christmas day in 1900 by Frank Chapman of the National Audubon Society. Audubon’s all-volunteer holiday census of early-winter bird populations was launched as an alternative to the traditional Christmas “Side Hunt,” in which hunters competed to kill as many birds (and mammals) as possible. The purpose of this annual census, now enjoyed by over 50,000 participants throughout the western hemisphere each year, is to gather data that can be used to identify bird population trends from year to year, which in turn can help scientists understand environmental impacts of weather, habitat loss, industrialization, human expansion, and other factors.
Learn more about how CBCs work and the Waterman Bird Club’s involvement since its inception in 1958 on the Christmas Bird Count page of this website. Club members participate in a number of local 15-mile diameter circles in Dutchess and overlapping surrounding counties. See our Field Trips page for this year’s dates.
