The Winter Bird Count

This annual winter bird census is a powerful tool for understanding changes in bird populations over time.

Each year, birdwatchers nationwide don snow boots and binoculars to scour their hometowns to find and document resident winter birds. This bird count was created over 120 years ago as a peaceful alternative to a traditional yuletide hunt. More than 60,000 birders participate in this census annually today, contributing to the world’s longest-running community science project. It is now coordinated by the National Audubon Society, and is considered one of the 24 major indicators of climate impacts by the Environmental Protection Agency.

NBNC organizes our local count, which includes territory in Plainfield, Montpelier, East Montpelier, Calais, Orange, Barre, and Marshfield. One of the oldest circles in Vermont, our count has occurred annually since 1960!