It’s time for the 123rd Audubon Christmas Bird Count and even if you’ve never been birdwatching before, you are invited to help! The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is the nation’s longest-running community science bird project where birdwatchers help gather data for biologists during this time of year. So the local Division of Wildlife Resources needs your help. “During these annual counts, we’ve collected more than 100 years of information about birds,” shares DWR Regional Conservation Outreach Manager Tonya Kieffer-Selby. “We’re using the data to assess the overall health of bird populations and to implement any conservation actions that may be needed for species survival. Recent studies have shown that over 3 billion birds have been lost in North America in the last 50 years, which is why collecting this data is so important. Birds are indicators of what’s happening in an environment. The data we gather about our local birds provides valuable information for conservation efforts worldwide.” A bird count event will be held at the Ouray National Wildlife Refuge on Wildlife Refuge Road in Randlett on Saturday, December 17th, from 8am to 5pm. Bring binoculars if you can and you can stay for as short or as long as you like.
