Everyone is welcome to join a Christmas Bird Count team. Maybe you will even see a new bird in the process, while interacting with fellow birders (Gray Partridge photo by Paul Konrad).

As the first groups of birders rang in the season to identify and count birds for the Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) last Sunday, this special birding tradition continues through January 5th. That means you can still get involved in some CBC counts. Some groups are asking for more help, although some may be filled with participants at this point – check with the local “count compiler” to see if you can help in some way. The 126th CBC is bringing people together with a common goal of documenting local information about “where the birds are” during this winter count period.

Count locations are spread out across the Western Hemisphere, stretching from Canada and the United States south as far as Brazil and beyond. Get started by referring to the introductory Audubon article at Join the Christmas Bird Count | Audubon, and you can find a count circle near you at National Audubon Society | 126th Christmas Bird Count. Click on any count circles on the map to get the location of the site, along with the compiler’s name and email address. Send the compiler an email, and go from there. Beginners will be teamed with advanced birders, and some people participate by documenting the birds that visit their yard and feeding station. Join the tradition by participating in the 126th Christmas Bird Count during this holiday season.