Christmas Bird Count

Pileated Woodpecker. Photo by Ken Miracle.

Be a part of the longest-running community science program in the world.

Thank you to all the volunteers who made the 2023 Christmas Bird Count a big success!

*Northern Flicker. Photo by Dawn Key/Audubon Photography Awards.*

For three weeks each winter, people across North America work together to take a snapshot of bird populations. Anyone can participate, and contribute to a data set that fuels science all year!

The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is performed at more than 2,300 sites each year. GEAS and friends help with counts in southwest Idaho.

Save the Date: 2024 Boise Christmas Bird Count is December 21!

Learn More

Below you can find out what to expect during a Christmas Bird Count and explore the zone maps for our regional CBCs.

Visit National Audubon’s CBC website to learn more about the history of the Christmas Bird Count and why it is important for birds.

Wild Turkey Surrounded by Hoarfrost on the 2020 Boise CBC by Carter Strope

GEAS Blog

The Heart of the Christmas Count: The amazing impact of community science by Carter Strope.

Coming Together for the Birds: Reflections on the Christmas Bird Count by Carter Strope

Components of a Christmas Bird Count

1) Count Period

The 11-day period on either side of Christmas (December 14 - January 5). All CBC's must be completed during this timeframe.

2) Count Week

Any species observed within the count circle 3 days before or after count day can still be counted. In short, we know that the species are in the count area at the right season, we just didn’t luck into it on count day. Only species can be noted, not numbers of individuals.

3) Count Day

The actual day of the count, a census of all bird species and their numbers.

4) Count Circle

The area covered in the count. All count circles have a 7.5-mile radius. Boise Count Circle is centered on the State Capitol, with a total area of nearly 178 square miles, broken into 14 individual zones. (See zone maps linked below). All birds counted during Count Week, Count Day, and Feeder Watch must be within the confines of the Count Circle.