World's oldest citizen-science project - Audubon's Christmas Bird Count - is underway
Posted by David Brooks | Thursday, December 20, 2012
For the 113th time, volunteers around the country are counting birds in their backyards and fields, and sending the results to the Audubon Society for the annual Christmas Bird Count, which actually runs from Dec. 14 through Jan. 5. It's by far the oldest "citizen science" project in the country - maybe in the world, although that's just a guess - and has provided valuable information about changes (usually shrinkage) in bird numbers and ranges.
Last year, 63,227 observers (54,262 in the field and 8965 at feeders) sent in results.
The society has dropped the $5 fee it used to charge, and will be emailing rather than printing and mailng the results. Otherwise, it's pretty much as it's always been.
