The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is an annual event sponsored by the National Audubon Society. Every year between the dates of December 14 and January 5, over 50,000 bird enthusiasts around the world tally the number of individual birds and species seen in almost 2,000 count areas. Data from the CBC are used to examine long-term trends in bird population numbers and distribution. The 2009-2010 season represents the 110th occurrence of the event.

Participating in CBCs is a popular winter past-time for Bitterroot Valley birders. While CBCs are conducted all over the state of Montana, members of Bitterroot Audubon are involved in three counts: Hamilton, Stevensville, and the Big Hole. The 2009-2010 season marks the 23rd year for the Hamilton count, 45th year for the Stevensville count, and 3rd year for the Big Hole count. 

If you are interested in participating in any of the CBCs this season, please watch the December and January calendar for the dates of the events. Birders of all levels are welcome. For more information about the Christmas Bird Count program or to view species information from counts in Montana, including those from Hamilton, Stevensville, and the Big Hole, please go to http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/.

Birders scan the skies during the Big Hole CBC. Photo: Fred Weisbecker.