The annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count kicks off Dec. 14 and runs through Jan. 5, offering a chance to contribute to bird population research. Organized by the National Audubon Society, the event invites participants to observe and record birds within designated 15-mile-wide “count circles” across the country, including 20 active circles in New Hampshire.
In the Granite State, hundreds of birders join the effort, dedicating a single day within the count period to track bird sightings. From dawn to dusk, participants explore woods, rivers, and fruit trees. Some observe birds at backyard feeders.
Robert Quinn has been leading the count in Concord for decades. He has been a birder for 60 years and is a former Audubon Society land manager. Quinn now runs a birding tour company called Merlin Wildlife Tours. He said he’s witnessed significant shifts in bird populations over the years.
“Thirty-five years ago, it was rare to see a bluebird in Concord,” Quinn said. “Now there are 50-100 bluebirds counted each year.”
Quinn attributes this change to a mix of climate shifts and evolving landscaping practices. Warmer winters and fewer snow days make it easier for bluebirds to survive, while flowering trees planted along roads and near stores provide year-round food.
“There are more species that are increasing than decreasing on the Christmas count,” Quinn said.
Not all trends are positive, however. Declines in open fields and farmland have led to fewer sightings of species like the American kestrel, certain blackbirds, and waterfowl such as the black duck.
Today, Quinn counts at least 60 species annually, and last year his group of about 30 people counted 71 species during the Christmas count. That’s a change from three decades ago, when he typically counted just 40 species.
This year’s Concord count is scheduled for Dec. 15.
The least common birds spotted last year included a Northern saw-whet owl, a great blue heron, a fox sparrow, and a marsh wren, with just one sighting of each. The most common bird was the dark-eyed junco, with 965 birds spotted.
Quinn estimates he’s seen around 5,000 bird species in his lifetime. He got interested in birding through an older brother.
“I’ve found over the years people have an innate interest in birds or they don’t,” he said. “I could sit for an hour watching the birds in my yard.”
The Christmas Bird Count takes place in nearly every state and helps guide conservation efforts by the National Audubon Society. Want to get involved? Learn more and find a count circle near you here.
