Christmas Bird Count
CCAS has been participating in the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC) since 1941!
Back in 1900, a group of conservationists proposed replacing traditional Christmas Day bird hunts with bird counts instead, and since then citizen scientists just like you have been counting birds each December, providing a rich dataset that scientists have used to learn about trends in bird populations.
Because the CBC is a scientific census, there are particular methods that must be followed for each count. The census is divided into specific count circles, each 15 miles (24 kilometers) in diameter. Each circle has a designated “compiler,” the person who organizes volunteers in the circle and collects their data to submit to National Audubon. Check out this map of CBC count circles. Also find answers to your top questions about the CBC and browse for more information on National Audbon’s CBC website.
CCAS members have been participating in the Christmas Bird Count since 1941. The official census period spans Dec. 14 – Jan. 5, and the CCAS count is always held the first Saturday of the count period. Our original circle included the Lake of the Woods Preserve, but in 1978 the circle was shifted east to lose Lake of the Woods and add Homer Lake. The circle is now centered on Deers. A total of 142 species have been seen on Champaign County CBCs since the 1940s. The highest year's count was 80 species in 2008.
CCAS annually provides contact information for the Champaign County compiler through our print newsletter, social media, and eNews.
The Champaign County CBC circle surveyed annually by CCAS members is centered on Deers.
