The 2013 Christmas Bird Count will be held December 14th to January 5th with local volunteers taking part in a one-day bird census conducted in fixed locations.
The annual count was started by American ornithologist Frank Chapman in 1900 is the longest-running wildlife census. The event has become an important part of Canada’s biodiversity monitoring database and is organized by a wide variety of birding and nature clubs. Participation is free and open to everyone, regardless of their skill or age.
Everyone who takes part will be contributing to the study and conservation of birds with collected data being used record the status of resident and migratory birds across the Western Hemisphere.
“The Christmas Bird Count is fun and informative,” said Anne Bell, Director of Conservation and Education at Ontario Nature. “Experts are out there counting alongside novice birders, all committed to seeing as much as possible, regardless of the weather. You know you’re contributing to important scientific research and are spurred on by the hope that a rare bird might show up.”
Last year 4,200 people participated in 110 Christmas Bird Counts throughout Ontario with 185 species and 1,516,553 individual birds being recorded.
According to a release by OntarioNature.org, some of the highlights from 2012’s countt include:
- The Peel-Halton count recorded six warbler species – orange-crowned, Nashville, Cape May, yellow-rumped, pine and common yellowthroat, the presence of which was attributed to a warm fall.
- Red-bellied woodpecker continued to show a winter range expansion and to be reported as new species on counts, especially in eastern Ontario.
- Northern hawk owls and great grey owls were present in higher than normal numbers.
- Barred owls were more widespread, and were even recorded in southwestern Ontario, where they are rarely found.
- Northern cardinal also continues to be found farther north each year, in large part due to feeders.
- Wild turkey continues to expand its range in Ontario.
- Bald eagle numbers were high in northern Ontario, with 206 recorded in Thunder Bay alone.
- Merlins were found more frequently, with a total of 55 recorded, many in areas farther north and east than in past years.
Kingston area locations listed for the 2013/2014 count includes Prince Edward Point, the Delta Area, Westport, Amherst Island, Napanee, and the Kingston area itself.
View the Ontario Nature’s member Group’s list of Ontario bird counts (pdf) for the local event dates and contact details.
Visit the Bird Studies Canada and Ontario Nature for more information.
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