By Kelly Vowels
Volunteers conducted the annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) at Bernheim Forest on January 1, during the holiday closure. Bernheim’s CBC began in the winter of 1973–74 and has taken place every year since, typically around Christmas.
Christmas Bird Counts are held throughout the Northern Hemisphere during winter. The tradition began on Christmas Day in 1900 as a conservation-focused alternative to holiday bird hunts. Since then, CBCs have helped scientists track long-term bird population health and migration trends across North America.
At Bernheim, these counts also help us better understand winter bird species and how their presence has changed over time. For example, the first Golden Eagle recorded at Bernheim appeared during the 1976–77 count. Since the winter of 1995–96, Golden Eagles have been observed almost every year. Another interesting finding is that Mute Swans were seen during counts in the early 2000s but have not been recorded before or since.
The most commonly observed species at Bernheim’s CBC include Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, European Starling, Dark-eyed Junco, and Canada Goose.
This Year’s Count
This year’s CBC benefited from great weather, with partly cloudy skies and no precipitation. The count was led by longtime volunteers Jim and Karen Scout, along with 13 additional volunteers.
A total of 80 species were recorded during the survey. European Starling and American Robin were the most frequently observed birds. More than 6,500 individual birds were counted overall, with over 25 percent being either American Robin or European Starling.
Survey highlights included a strong diversity of ducks, such as Gadwall, American Wigeon, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Ruddy Duck, and Hooded Merganser. Other notable sightings included an adult Golden Eagle, several Bald Eagles, a Great Horned Owl, and a Merlin.
All data from this count will be entered into the official Christmas Bird Count database. Future researchers will be able to use this information to study bird population trends at Bernheim and across North America.
If you are interested in learning more about the Christmas Bird Count or how to get involved, visit the National Audubon Society website.
