More kids are joining the Christmas Bird Count, a wildlife survey and citizen-science project that takes place worldwide in December or January. The Christmas/Winter Bird Count for Kids, aimed at youngsters age eight to 18, is offered on more and more national wildlife refuges.
In North Dakota, the Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge Complex has been conducting the Christmas Bird Count with local school students since 2000. The effort began as a project with the fifth and sixth grade class and soon included the high school science class.
There are also Christmas Bird Counts for Kids in 2013 at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, PA; Crab Orchard Refuge, IL; and Deep Fork Refuge, OK.
• John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, Philadelphia, PA - January 4, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (215-365-3118)
• Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, IL - Saturday, January 11 - 9:00 - 12:00 p.m. (618-997-3344)
• Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge, OK - Saturday, December 28 (918-652-0456)
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Alaska Zoo and Audubon Alaska - Sunday, December 8, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (907-341-6463)
More at: http://www.fws.gov/refuges/birding/birdcount.html
Refuges share data they collect with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Bird data help scientists track population dynamics and examine the effects of climate change.
