From 1900 to Today: The Christmas Bird Count
For more than a century, community scientists have helped power Audubon’s work through the Christmas Bird Count (CBC), the nation’s longest-running community science bird project. Held each year from December 14 to January 5, the CBC brings together tens of thousands of volunteers across the Americas to count birds during the winter season.
The tradition began in 1900, when ornithologist Frank M. Chapman proposed counting birds instead of hunting them—a radical idea at the time. That first year, 27 birders conducted counts at 25 locations and documented about 90 species. Today, the CBC has grown into a continent-wide effort that provides invaluable data on bird populations.
This long-term dataset allows researchers, conservation biologists, and wildlife agencies to track changes in bird populations over time and across regions. Combined with other surveys, the CBC helps guide conservation strategies, protect habitats, and identify environmental challenges that affect both birds and people.
A Community Comes Together for Birds
For the 2025 Boise Christmas Bird Count, 128 enthusiastic volunteers braved the chilly morning—but were rewarded with sunshine, calm winds, and a perfect winter day after a stretch of rainy, windy weather. Together, they covered hundreds of miles on foot and by car, counting birds throughout the entire 15-mile radius from the Idaho State Capitol Building.
By the end of the day, participants had spotted 97 species, including some real standouts: a rare Black-and-White Warbler, a Red-Breasted Merganser, three Virginia Rails, a Great Egret, two Red-naped Sapsuckers, and, in astonishing numbers, 6,542 European Starlings. What a day for birding—and for community science!
Appreciation for Our CBC Leadership and Volunteers
The Boise CBC Leadership Team began preparing months in advance to make the 2025 Christmas Bird Count a success, and their dedication truly made all the difference. A heartfelt thank you to Jo Anne Lafferty and Sam Bellis for guiding the effort so smoothly. We also deeply appreciate Denise Hughes and Stephanie Low, who are serving as our data compilers—a role that takes incredible time and care to ensure every observation is counted. They may be tabulating into February before we have final results. Your hard work and commitment made this year’s count possible, and we are so grateful!
A huge thank-you goes to our 14 Zone Leaders, who started early by scouting their territories, planning routes, and preparing for data collection. On Count Day, they not only made sure all bird counts were submitted to the master list, but also ensured the safety and support of everyone in their zones. We are so grateful to Alec Andrus, Jay Carlisle, Nancy DeWitt, Louisa Evers, Patti Guicheteau, Ben Gundy, Danette Henderson, Jim James, James Jarrett, Dean Jones, Kent Kleman, Pat McGrane, Will Miller, and Allan Wylie. Their dedication before, during, and after the Boise Christmas Bird Count on December 20, 2025, was essential to the success of the day.
We extend our sincere appreciation to our six feeder counters, whose quiet but important work helped make our count more complete. Thousands of feeder counters across the continent contribute data each year that strengthens the science behind the CBC and helps us better understand how birds are faring through the season.
Black Capped Chickadee by Ken Miracle; American Kestrel, Great Horned Owl, and Spotted Towhee by Ben Gundy
Cooper’s Hawk and White Crowned Sparrows by Allan Wylie
Great Blue Heron by Ken Miracle; Wild Turkeys by Ben Gundy
Together, We Made It Happen – Thank You!
Gary Worthington
Katy Magee
Cheryl Huizinga
Debbie Wiggins
Alex Takasugi
Jana Bernhardt
Jimmy Mccray
Marcela Means
Taylor Zarifis
Evan Worthington
Jim Dewitt
Wayne Denny
Laurie Barrera
Benjamin Heinze
Jason Korn
Sayard Schultz
Jordan Bates
Danny Wheeler
Cindy Peters
Caleb Hardy
Terry Rich
Benjamin Gundy
Katielee Sliger
Alene Hortin
Emma Jaworski
Gary Heller
Bob Perata
Gari Gene Otto
Ann Swanson
Jessie Sherburne
Joseph (Joe) Meredith
Michael Mancuso
Lucille Rollins
Ceredig Roberts
Mark Seyfried
Helen Fisher
Karen Fullen
Hugh Larkin
Shannan Brimmer
Ileana Cordova
Wyatt Tustin
Jon Curd
Crista O'Conner
Sarah Dzielski
Richard McCrea
Katie Powell
Alan Crockett
Alice Crockett
Jennifer Cheffings
Theodore Argyle
Alyson Singer
Scott Urban
Rick Raymondi
Kim Liebich
Julie Curtis
Ava Honey
Dorothy Shue
Theresa Regnier
Kate Meyer
Brian Jensen
Karen Henderson
Paige Mcfeeley
Anna Werdel
Lianna Hamby
Ken Miracle
Oscar Hallam
Kristin Gnojewski
Kerry Fitzharris
Faye Spencer
Cameo Willett
Amanda Sills
Christi Jarrett
Michelle Kemner
Randy Langseth
Virginia White
Sherilyn Paris
Lily Hendrickson
Rob Shaner
Dylan Hendry
Mariah Hoel
Christina Hartmann
Matthew Danihel
Mark Drew
Ingrid Brudenell
Bill Brudenell
Lynne Bachman
Norman Eshoo
Debbie Fugate
Rich Rusnak
Marty Marzinelli
Marla Craft
Sydnie Matkins
Dan Button
Sumner Fletcher Button
Louisa Evers
Danette Henderson
Denise Hughes
Stephanie Low
Patti Guicheteau
Allan Wylie
Dean Jones
James Jarrett
Kent Kleman
Jay Carlisle
Alec Andrus
Nancy Dewitt
Will Miller
Christopher Well
Pat Mcgrane
Jim James
Lorraine Poor
Denise Mclaughlin
Samantha Schwasinger
Quinn Alexander
Lisa Kern
Nancy Moore
Jo Anne Lafferty
Sam Bellis
RL Rowland
Rose An
Jake Chase
Iris Smith
Lanette Hendrickson
Matthew Hendrickson
Liz Paul
Kateri Bilay
Jared Peck
Heidi Ware Carlisle