Birds are usually the last thing on people’s minds during the Christmas holiday season. Between traveling, get-togethers, presents and New Years, who has time to think about wildlife? The National Audubon Society hopes that you will! This holiday, join tens of thousands of naturalists around the country to monitor the health of birds in the United States in general and the national parks specifically.

The Christmas Bird Count started 110 years ago as a nationwide survey of winter birds. In the first count, there were only 25 teams and they identified 90 different species of birds. Over time, the number of participants skyrocketed and counts extended throughout North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. Last year, there were 2,124 counts worldwide with more than 660 species recorded in North America alone.

With more than 100 years of data on bird populations, the National Audubon Society and its partners study the health of species, habitat changes, migration routes and, potentially, climate change. The more data they collect, the more they will understand about the world around us. Your participation means everything!

Last year, I participated in my first Christmas Bird Count. As a newbie to the world of birding, I wondered if I had enough experience to participate. The leader of the Washington, D.C., Christmas Bird Count, Larry Cartwright, not only assured me that my presence was appreciated, but that I could join him during his count. Our sector was the Southwest of the District of Columbia, including the National Mall and all the national park monuments.

Although I frequent the National Mall often, I never truly understood the diversity of birds in D.C. until the Christmas Bird Count. We identified numerous species of waterfowl, gulls, and sparrows, among others. We even spotted a Palm Warbler in front of the Botanic Gardens munching on berries. Two people using binoculars to stare at a bird in front of the Botanic Gardens definitely earned the attention of the tourists! It was a long, cold, but entirely rewarding day and I plan to do it again this year.

The 2009-2010 Christmas Bird Count takes place from December 14th to January 5th. See if you live near any of the national parks holding their own Christmas Bird Counts. If you can’t join one of them, visit, http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/getinvolved.HTML to find a place near you. Also, some counts require advance registration or an RSVP. We've tried to highlight those instances.

Happy Birding!

National Park Christmas Bird Counts

California

Point Reyes Peninsula – December 19th. 41st annual CBC is one of the biggest in the country. Contact John Longstreth at ptreyescbc@gmail.com

Sequoia National Park – December 20th. Take different routes based on your skill level. Contact Daniel Gammons at daniel_gammons@nps.gov

Yosemite National Park – December 20th. More than 3,000 birds were spotted last year! Contact Sarah Stock at 209-379-1435

Joshua Tree National Park – January 4th at 7:30 a.m. Park fee will be waived. Be prepared for all kinds of weather. Contact Joe Zarki at 760-367-5520.

Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park – December 19th at 8 a.m. Must contact by the 15th to ensure a spot. Contact Scott Roederer at osprey@estesvalley.net

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve – January 2nd at 9 a.m. Beginning and backyard birders are welcome. Contact Phyllis Pineda Bovin at 719-378-6363.

Florida

Everglades National Park – January 2nd. Also survey Coot Bay. Contact Brian Rapoza at brianrapoza@aol.com

Idaho

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve – December 18th. Most people travel through the park on snowshoe or cross-country skis. Contact Mike Munts at michael_munts@nps.gov.

Indiana

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore – December 19th at 7 a.m. RSVP as soon as possible at the Dunes State Park Nature Center at 219-926-1390.

Montana

Glacier National Park – December 20th. Count will start in the Southwest section of park and continue by foot. Contact 406-892-7406 or sjsindt@hotmail.com to register.

New Jersey

Pinelands National Reserve – December 20th. Contact Robert Confer at 609-859-2973 or Parula9@hotmail.com

New Mexico

Carlsbad Caverns National Park – December 19th. Contact Steve West at wthrswift@yahoo.com

North Carolina

Cape Hatteras National Seashore – December 27th. Details to be announced later. Contact Pat Moore at 252-995-4777.

Ohio

Cuyahoga Valley National Park – December 20th at 7:30 am. Bird with the Greater Akron Audubon Society. Meet at Kendall Lake Shelter.

South Carolina

Congaree National Park – December 20th at 7 a.m. Meet at the park visitor center. Contact John Grego at jrgrego@mindspring.com

Tennessee

Great Smoky Mountains National Park – December 20th. If you do not have a territory, you can meet up with the group at the Sugarlands Visitor Center. Contact David Trently at dtrently@utk.edu. On December 27 the count will involve Cades Cove. Contact Susan Hoyle at hoyle@cs.utk.edu

Texas

Guadalupe Mountains National Park – January 2nd at 6:45 a.m. Meet at Pine Spring Cholla Chateau. Must reserve in advance. Contact Fred Armstrong at fred_armstrong@nps.gov

Utah

Zion National Park – December 19th. Search for birds in different parts of the 177 square mile park. Contact Claire Crow at 435-772-0212

Washington

North Cascades National Park Service Complex – December 19th at 6:30 a.m. Meet at the NPS/US Forest Service office at 810 State Route 20 in Sedro-Woolley, Washington. Contact Bob Kuntz at 360-854-7320.

Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park – December 20th at 7 a.m. Meet at the Best Western Motel in Gardiner, Montana, just north of Mammoth Hot Spring. Contact ravenidiot@wispwest.net or 406-848-7942.

If you're aware of any other counts in the parks, please let us know!

Jessica Jones is Senior Coordinator of Citizen Science Programs for the National Wildlife Federation. She oversees Wildlife Watch, an education program that allows the public to report wildlife and natural phenomena sightings online. Visit www.nwf.org/watch or contact her at watch@nwf.org.