Christmas Bird Census is a holiday tradition that counts birds in the holidays.
Its roots extend back to the turn of the previous century beginning on Christmas
Day 1900. The modern day locations ranged from Toronto, Ontario to Pacific Grove,
California with most counts in or near the population centers of northeastern
The primary objective of the Christmas Bird Count is to monitor the status and distribution of bird populations across the Western Hemisphere. When the CBC data is combined with that of other surveys such as the North American Breeding Bird Survey, a clearer picture of how bird populations throughout
the Americas have changed in time and space over the past hundred years develops.
Data helps reveal the impact of diseases such as, in years past, the West Nile virus. Since birds are overall indicators of the health of our environment, the Count can also tell us a great deal about ourselves and our impact on local flora and fauna.
It is once again time for the annual Tri-County Rochester Christmas
Bird Count. This particular count, during the North American event,
covers a 15 mile circle where the counties of Marshall, Kosciusko,
and Fulton Counties meet.
View from your feeder if you are in the target zone or participate
in the count at Potawatomi Wildlife Park and/or surrounding area.
Also, this year continues the goal of creating a list of birds
found specifically on Potawatomi Wildlife Park. Contact Potawatomi
Wildlife Park if you are interested in participating in this count.
The Bird County is scheduled for Saturday, January 1, 2011 at 8:00a.m.
at the Potawatomi Wildlife Park Interpretive Center at 16998 State Road 331,
Cost to participants is $5. Home Feeder viewers are Free. The fee includes
published annual report mailed to your door.
For more information, please call Executive Director Mike Stephan at (574) 498-6550 or visit the parks website at www.getintonature.com and click on the "UPCOMING EVENTS" tab.