Christmas Bird Counts are an annual tradition for many local birders. Here are a few of those being held in the Sacramento Area this year.
Please contact the compiler if you would like to participate.
Putah Creek: Sunday, December 15 - Compiler: Bart Wickel, bartwickel@gmail.com
Woodfords: Monday, December 16 - Compiler: Dan Williams, 714-943-1266, jaegermaestro@yahoo.com
Sacramento: Saturday, December 21 - Compiler: Dan Williams, 714-943-1266, jaegermaestro@yahoo.com
Marysville: Monday, December 23 - Compiler: Asher Perla, 530-713-5562, asher.perla@gmail.com
Lincoln: Thursday, December 26 - Compiler: Ed Pandolfino, 916-765-5688
Woodland / Davis: Friday, December 27 - Compiler: Bruce Christensen, theriodvm@gmail.com
Folsom: Sunday, December 29 - Compiler: Chris Conard, 916-203-1610, conardc@gmail.com
Christmas Bird Count data helps scientists and researchers preserve and understand bird populations. In his most recent Conservation Column, Cliff Feldheim, Sacramento Audubon Conservation Chair, cited the work of Ed Pandolfino, Lily Douglas, and Chris Raye of Ferruginous Hawks wintering in California as an example of how Christmas Bird Count data is used.
A 2024 paper in the Journal of Raptor Research by Ed Pandolfino, Lilly Douglas, and Chris Raye on Ferruginous Hawks wintering in California (Population Trends of the Ferruginous Hawk Wintering in California) shows just how valuable Christmas Bird Count data can be.
Using Christmas Bird Count data for a 25-yr period from 22 California Christmas Bird Count circles in the core winter range of Ferruginous Hawks, they found a significant positive trend. California’s wintering population of Ferruginous Hawks is increasing. This is surprising given the ongoing declines of this species’ preferred winter habitat in California during this same time period and with the continent-wide negative trends observed for most grassland bird species
To read Cliff’s entire article Ferruginous Hawks, Burrowing Owls, and the Value of Citizen Science visit: www.sacramentoaudubon.org/conservation-column.
Western Meadowlark, Image by Ray Rozema