2025 Christmas Bird Count

The 2025 Bird Count will be held on Saturday, December 20th. The Brattleboro count is part of the longest running community science project in the world. Birders all over the world will be out documenting the status of bird populations during the count window, held this year between December 14 and January 5. The Brattleboro circle is below, and can also be viewed online here: CBC Circles 

All are welcome to join us for this year's count, regardless of birding experience level. Beginners are often great at spotting birds even if they can't identify them yet. Each team will have experienced birders to help with ID. You can join the count by either signing up to go out birding in the field with one of our 7 area teams, or you can conduct a feeder count from your home. If you are interested in conducting a feeder count, please confirm that your feeders are within the Brattleboro Circle. The above link displays the official CBC counts - you'll have to zoom in on Southern Vermont to see the Brattleboro circle. The Brattleboro circle has grown beyond its official scope in the past and we've chosen to prioritize historical accuracy over strict adherence to the 15 mile diameter circle. That said, we do want to prevent any further drift beyond our geographic scope, so please look at the below map of where we bird each year: Updated Map of Count Circle. Or you can just email Cory to confirm your place is within the area we cover. 

If you have joined one of our area teams in the past and know who your area leader is you are welcome to contact them directly. Otherwise, please email Cory Ross at Email Cory to Sign Up  and he will help connect you with a group leader. If you complete a feeder count, please send your completed list to Cory as an email attachment. You can also type the results directly into the body of an email or snail mail it to him (the address is on the form). The form with directions is here:  Feeder Count Form 

The results from this count will be used by researchers to understand bird distributions and changes to population trends. While more modern and rigorous research methods exits, none have results that date back more than a century. This unique feature enables long term comparisons. Thank you to everyone who is able to help us count this year!