The Christmas Bird Count - From Historical Conservation to 21st Century Community

Explore the evolution and significance of the Christmas Bird Count in this hour-long lecture. Discover how this annual event, initiated on Christmas Day 1900, has transformed from a historical conservation effort into a powerful tool for 21st-century community science. Learn about the process of counting birds during the holiday season and how volunteers' time and effort contribute to a larger dataset. Understand the initial skepticism from scientists and the subsequent recognition of the CBC's value in conservation biology. Examine how CBC data reveals population trends, shifting wintering ranges, and irruptive species patterns. Gain insights into using the online CBC tool set to investigate bird species' status at local, regional, and continental scales, demonstrating the far-reaching impact of citizen participation in furthering our understanding of avian populations across the hemisphere.