Christmas Bird Count: How To Find An Active Circle Near Tucson

TUCSON, AZ — With so many holiday traditions canceled or altered due to the coronavirus pandemic, one that's still taking place might also offer a perfect way to socially distance.

The annual Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count returns for its 121st year, and there are three active circles in the works in or near Tucson. The count, a census of birds in the Western Hemisphere, will be conducted from Monday, Dec. 14 through Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021.

Tucson's diverse habitats makes for an interesting count, one group said.

"The diversity of habitats creates the potential for many birds, including diverse waterfowl on the lakes and ponds scattered through the circle," according to the Santa Catalina Mountain CBC. "While all areas can use volunteers, our greatest need is for hikers on mountain trails to find those hidden gems that may not be found anywhere else in the circle."

Local counts are organized by a count compiler, and they are held on only one day. Bird counters will follow a specific route within a 15-mile diameter circle and count any bird they see or hear all day, according to the Audubon Society.

The yearly count helps strategists to protect birds and their habitat, according to a report from PennLive.

“This information paints a clear picture of bird distribution and abundance, and in the case of the publication, aids in the understanding of the urgency of bird conservation,” the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania wrote in its pitch to bring in more participants.

Every year, thousands of observers take part in the count across the United States, Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands, and it becomes more popular every year. A record 81,601 birders took part in the 2019 count, which was the 10th consecutive year a record-breaking count was recorded.

That number could be significantly lower this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however.

“The COVID-19 pandemic will affect CBC participation,” Audubon said on its website. “Pending local restrictions, many counts will be done under the COVID-19 guidelines sent to compilers, while others will likely be cancelled.”

Online registration isn’t available this year, so bird counters should email the count organizers to participate. Find contact information for all the active bird counts here.

More circles could be added by the time the count starts, the Audubon Society said. A bird count tracker will go live once the counting begins.