The state’s annual Christmas bird count will get underway soon as volunteers partner with count coordinators from the Iowa Ornithologists Union. They will identify one day between Thursday, Dec. 14 and Jan 5 to count every bird they see or hear in their designated area. This count, which dates back to 1900, has been labeled the original citizen scientist project. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says they have captured enough data over the years that various scientific organizations have been using the results to document and track changes in bird populations. “This has become a winter tradition for hundreds of birders,” says Bruce Ehresman, wildlife biologist with the DNR’s Wildlife Diversity Program. “When the weather is good and we have open water, volunteers often document more birds, including one year when more than 100 different species were documented at the Saylorville count area. Last year, there were 35 different locations in Iowa where bird counts were held. Interested volunteers can visit the Iowa Ornithologists’ Union page by following the link included below.
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http://www.iowabirds.org/Connections/CBC.aspx