The Christmas Bird Count

Dec. 21, 2024

Is there a partridge in your pear tree? Have you seen two turtle doves, three French hens, four calling birds, six geese a-laying, or seven swans a-swimming? We ask because each year, the National Audubon Society does a Christmas Bird Count! The count was established in 1900, when scientists and bird watchers were concerned about  over-hunting and declining bird populations. For the count’s 125th anniversary, tens of thousands of people will count the birds in their backyards, parks, and forests now through Jan. 5. You can join in with several organized counts happening in northern Michigan, including Traverse City, Lake Leelanau, Petoskey, Beulah, Manistee, Cadillac, Grayling, and the Straits of Mackinac. Learn more at audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count/join-christmas-bird-count.

Pictured: Tufted Titmouse by Michele Black/Great Backyard Bird Count