NEW YORK (December 14, 2025) — The National Audubon Society invites bird lovers and community scientists across the Western Hemisphere to participate in the 126th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count, taking place December 14 through January 5. More than 2,800 count circles from Canada to Chile will gather important data to inform conservation strategies and help protect birds in a rapidly changing climate.
“Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count allows community scientists to join a legacy of more than twelve decades of conservation,” said Dr. Ben Haywood, Audubon’s director of community science. “Adding to such a long-term dataset helps conservation scientists better understand the state of the birds and how we can improve our efforts to protect them and the places they need.”
Each count takes place in a 15-mile-wide circle and is led by a compiler responsible for safely organizing volunteers and submitting observations directly to Audubon. Within each circle, participants tally all birds seen or heard that day — not just the species but also total numbers to provide a clear idea of the health of that particular population.
When combined with other surveys like the Breeding Bird Survey, Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count helps provide a picture of how bird populations have changed over the past century, a long-term perspective that is critical for protecting birds and their habitat. These data have been cited in more than 300 peer-reviewed articles, including a 2019 study in Science that documented the loss of nearly three billion North American birds since 1970.
The count is also used to measure how birds are responding to climate change. A 2022 Audubon study used 90 years of Christmas Bird Count data to show how bird ranges have shifted over time, helping prioritize conservation efforts in areas that are important for birds today and in a climate-altered future. With two-thirds of North American bird species at increasing risk of extinction by the end of this century, the data are more important than ever.
The first count circles were located in 25 locations across the United States and Canada. The program has since expanded to more than 2,800 circles across the United States, Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands. Last year’s 125th Audubon Christmas Bird Count included 35 species in newly established circles in Peru that had not previously been encountered. In the United States, participants also observed “late lingerers” such as Black-and-white Warblers, which normally spend the winter in the tropics, staying in the United States due to a milder winter.
There is no fee to participate in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. To sign up, find the circle nearest you and register with your local compiler at www.christmasbirdcount.org. All data must be submitted through the official compiler to be added to the census.
About Audubon
The National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet’s health, acting as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and inspire action. Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet. Through a collaborative, bipartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. With 800 staff and over 1.9 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come. Learn more at www.audubon.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @audubonsociety.
Media Contacts:
Nicolas Gonzalez, nicolas.gonzalez@audubon.org
Non-Media Inquiries: cbcadmin@audubon.org
