The Christmas Bird Count, now in it's 119th year, is an annual citizen science event in which birders all over the country spend one day searching for their feathered friends. The goal is to take a snapshot of the bird landscape throughout North America. The data collected by volunteer birders and turned into the National Audubon Society help scientists understand bird population trends. Plus, it gets you out birding in the beautiful (or sometimes blustery) winter weather!

Madison's Christmas Bird Count survey area is so large that we divide it up into 23 areas. Each area has an experienced captain leading the survey for their part of Madison, Middleton, Verona, McFarland, Fitchburg, Cottage Grove, Sun Prairie, Waunakee, or DeForest. Start- and end-times and survey locations vary by area. You can either join us in the field to count birds, or stay home and watch your bird feeders. Or both!

To get involved, visit madisonaudubon.org/cbc and sign up. We will work with you to find a person leading a counting group in your area.

Happy birding!

Header photo by Carolyn Byers