The Christmas Bird Count
New for 2025! We are offering workshops to help you understand and participate in our Christmas Bird Counts!
Every December-January, SCVBA sponsors four local Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs), part of a world-wide community science project coordinated by the National Audubon Society that started 125 years ago! Organizations use data collected in this long-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations and to help guide conservation action.
On the day of the CBC, small groups of birders go out to an assigned territory to count all individual birds of each species seen. Together, these groups cover a 15-mile-diameter circle, gathering data on bird populations in that area.
We encourage all birders to sign up for the CBC and get out birding. Counters with less experience are teamed with those more experienced; photographers are encouraged to document birds seen; and while most birding groups cover several miles, a few do stationary counts. Even if beginning birders can't identify every bird, they provide important "extra eyes" in finding birds. (Note: while beginner birders are welcome to join CBC activities, this is not a teaching opportunity.)
2025-26 CBC Dates
Join SCVAS for another year of adventure with the Christmas Bird Count! Contact the compiler for the region you are interested in (below) and help us continue the country’s longest-standing citizen science bird project. Participation is free and all birders are encouraged to join!
SAN JOSE - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14
Birders of all experience levels are welcome and needed. Bird identification skills are an asset but spotters (who just look for birds in the sky, trees, and bushes) and recorders (who tally the number of birds of each species) are also valuable! Some count all day, while others only take part for a few hours. The day is followed by the optional Countdown Dinner for those who are up to hearing stories of rare sightings from theirs and other groups. It is a great experience! If you are interested in participating, please contact the compiler Mike Azevedo at geochelone@aol.com.
PALO ALTO - MONDAY, DECEMBER 15
The count circle for the Palo Alto CBC extends from the Bay to the Santa Cruz Mountains, with four regions in each of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. We welcome eager birders at any level of experience. If you have previously participated, and want to count in the same region as before, please contact your region coordinator soon. There are three new coordinators since last year's CBC: Casey Girard in region 3 (San Mateo Co. lowlands "west" of Hwy 101); Charles Coston in region 6 (Santa Clara Co. foothills, west of I-280); Curt Bianchi in region 8 (higher elevations in, mostly, Santa Clara Co.). If you are new to this count, or if you would like to explore a different region, or if you do not know how to reach your coordinator, send email to paloaltocbc@gmail.com. In order to find you a good spot, we need to hear from you at least two weeks before the count (the sooner the better). Thanks in advance for your participation. Compiler: Al Eisner.
CALERO-MORGAN HILL - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27
The Calero-Morgan Hill count in south Santa Clara County stretches across the valley to foothills in both the Coast and Diablo ranges, and includes several creeks, lakes and wetlands. It covers city and county parks, open space preserves, water district reservoirs, and private properties, many not usually open to the public. Annual targets include both eagles, several falcons, Burrowing Owl, Grasshopper Sparrow, and a surprising variety of gulls. All counters are welcome afterwards to the countdown dinner in New Almaden. If you are interested in participating, please complete the Calero-Morgan Hill Signup Form. For questions, contact the compiler Rick at rick.herder@gmail.com.
MOUNT HAMILTON - Friday, JANUARY 2, 2026
We hope to have a great count again throughout the Mount Hamilton and San Antonio Valley area. Count leaders are especially needed. Please contact the compiler Bob Hirt at bobhirt@aol.com - as soon as possible to participate.
Here are the results for the 2024-25 CBC:
2024-25 TABLE — an aggregation of the results from all four 2024-25 Christmas Bird Counts
MORE INFORMATION
Read about how the data are used and about the histories of our counts. Also see our Highlights and tables for past Christmas Bird Counts.
If you’re new to the Christmas Bird Count, the writeups from previous years can help you understand what the experience is like! Check out all the writeups, including pictures and tables of all birds observed each year. Here are write-ups for previous counts:
Banner photo: East side of Mount Hamilton, 2023 Mount Hamilton CBC by Pete Dunten