Brooke Bateman Takes the Reins of Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count

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Dr. Brooke Bateman has led Audubon’s climate science work for several years, most notably as the lead researcher for Survival By Degrees: 389 Bird Species on the Brink, a groundbreaking climate change report that projected how North America’s bird populations would fare under different carbon emissions scenarios by the year 2100. This scientific analysis, as well as more than 300 others over the decades, has relied on one of our most invaluable wildlife datasets to tell us how birds are faring: Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count. As we begin the 125th Christmas Bird Count, Dr. Bateman will take the reins of this globally important community science program 

Since 1900, bird-lovers have spent part of their Decembers and Januaries venturing out with their communities to tally every single bird that they see in a particular area. Over the decades, these Christmas Bird Count participants have added their findings to their region’s dataset, and scientists have used this long-term library of knowledge to better understand the state of our birds. 

In this video below Dr. Bateman tells us five things we need to know about joining our local Christmas Bird Count. 

Audubon anticipates approximately 80,000 volunteers at more than 2,500 count circles across North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and certain Pacific Islands. Over the years, bird lovers have counted birds in their communities to learn a little more about their friends, family and neighbors as well as the birds that winter nearby. Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count is a fun holiday tradition for many people that’s both free and kid-friendly. In this second video, Dr. Bateman tells us how the Christmas Bird Count embodies the joy of birds for both her and her daughter Matilda. 

To learn more about the Christmas Bird Count, including how to find and join a circle near you, please visit www.christmasbirdcount.org.