It won’t be long now before Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) will begin.
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It won’t be long now before Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) will begin. The 121st count will start on Dec. 14 and end on Jan. 5 as it has every year since the count began on Christmas day in 1900. The count was begun at the suggestion of ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, an officer in the newly formed Audubon Society, who proposed that rather than the usual Christmas hunt, they have a Christmas bird census and count the birds rather than kill them.
Although Okeechobee County participated in the count many years ago, we have not had our own CBC in a long time. In many areas, groups are organized by local clubs, organizations or even individuals.
If you or your group would like to organize a CBC in the Okeechobee area, it is possible. In order to start your own group, you would have to submit a request through the Audubon.org website between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1. You would need to include the following information:
• The exact name of your new count, along with the description and exact latitude and longitude (in decimal degrees only) of the center point of your 15-mile diameter circle. The latitude/longitude information in decimal degree format is critical to get your count set up in the CBC database.
• An assurance that at least 10 participants will be available every year to do the count, along with a description of the experience level of the party leaders, to ensure continued good coverage.
• Name, phone number and email of compiler. Please note that an email address is mandatory to enter data.
• Optionally, a general geographic and habitat descriptions of the area, including percentages of habitat types, an indication of the vegetation in each habitat, and why the area is important.
The society suggests running a trial count the first season before applying to ensure that the area is one you will be happy with and to be sure the area you have chosen includes the best possible bird habitats.
For more information about the Christmas Bird Count, visit their website at www.audubon.org/conservation/join-christmas-bird-count.
