JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages experienced Missouri birders to become citizen scientists by helping with the National Audubon Society’s 123rd Christmas Bird Count (CBC) between Dec. 14 through Jan. 5, 2023.

The CBC is an early-winter bird census where thousands of volunteers across the U.S., Canada, and many countries in the western hemisphere go out over a 24-hour period on one calendar day to count birds. Christmas Bird Counts are held annually between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5 to gather data on winter bird populations and to track the long-term status of species and large-scale trends.

Each CBC has a coordinator who assigns portions of a 15-mile diameter count circle to participants to count all birds seen and heard over a 24-hour period. Missouri hosts about 20 CBCs, some of which are:

• Mingo National Wildlife Refuge on Dec 14,
• Trimble (Smithville Lake) on Dec. 17,
• Maramec Spring Park on Dec. 17,
• St. Joseph Midland Empire Audubon Dec. 17,
• Big Spring in Van Buren on Dec. 17,
• Big Oak Tree State Park on Dec. 17, and
• Kansas City/Unity Village on Dec. 18.

For details, including contacts and instructions, visit mobirds.org/Birds/CBC.aspx.

If interested in participating in the CBC, contact the CBC organizer listed. For more information on these and other CBC routes, go online to audubon.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=ac275eeb01434cedb1c5dcd0fd3fc7b4. Click on a count and contact the CBC organizer listed if the count is accepting new volunteers. Green or yellow markers indicate the potential to assist.