Christmas Bird Count

Image of flocks of Mergansers and Gulls by Michael Szerlog

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT INFO

  • The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was started in 1900 as an alternative to the Christmas “side hunt” in which teams competed to shoot as many birds as possible. That year, ornithologist Frank M. Chapman proposed a new holiday tradition: counting birds rather than hunting them. It is now the nation’s longest running community science survey, with more than 80,000 participants.

    Kitsap Audubon Society has been conducting annual Christmas Bird Counts since 1973. We have outstanding CBC field team leaders. A number of them have been leading CBC field teams in Kitsap County for 15 to 20 years or more.

    Janine Schutt and Jennifer Standish are responsible for organizing our annual Christmas Bird Counts, in addition to compiling the results.

    Both have full responsibility for organizing and managing these two CBCs, including guiding and directing more than a hundred volunteers in 16 field teams, and those counting birds the same day in their own backyards.

  • Kitsap Audubon Society sponsors two CBC circles.

    • Kitsap circle count for 2025 was on Saturday, December 20.

    • North Kitsap/Port Gamble circle count was on Sunday, January 4.

    Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are welcome to join us. To join a field team, contact the field team leader listed below directly or fill out the form below. If you live within a circle’s boundaries, you can count birds from your own backyard (Contact Janine Schutt).

  • Although joining a CBC is always fun, its true purpose is to conduct a complete survey of all the birds seen and heard within the circle on the day of the count. Each circle is broken up into geographical areas, and within each area there might be multiple field teams who are assigned to specific locations. Other areas may have a single field team which travels by car to many different locations. Some locations might be more appropriate for younger community scientists or birders doing their first CBC. Check with the area leaders to find a spot that is a good fit for you!

    We use optics (binoculars and spotting scopes) to get closer looks at the birds we are identifying and counting. If you have binoculars, please bring them. A spotting scope can be very useful, especially at water locations where birds might be more distant. There are some great videos available online if you aren’t sure how the optics work. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself before the count day, and you can even practice in your own yard. Most field teams will have at least one spotting scope, so being familiar with how that works would be helpful too.

    Finally, being familiar with our local birds can be very helpful. If you are new to birding, check out a field guide, a phone app, or look on www.eBird.org to see which species you might expect to encounter.

    For other questions about either CBC, contact our designated Compilers (see list):

Listen to former KAS Education Chair, Pearl Kerber read the children’s picture book Bird Count by Susan Edwards Richmond and illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman

Image from National Audubon GIS Map Viewer

The 2025/2026 Christmas Bird Count Results for Kitsap Audubon Society’s Circles are in…check them out below.

Before you sign up, please review the Liability Waiver Policy

Kitsap Audubon requires field trip participants to complete a liability waiver. This simple online form can be accessed via the Liability Waiver Button. Once a waiver has been signed, it will be valid for the remainder of the KAS operating year (September – June). Trip leaders will provide detailed instructions upon event registration.

Liability Waiver

2026/2027 Kitsap County Christmas Bird Count

  • Kitsap County Survey is scheduled for December 19, 2026.

  • North Kitsap -Port Gamble Survey is scheduled for January 2, 2027

Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are welcome to join us. If you are interested in joining a team, please view the locations below and send an email with which Bird Count and Location to Chuq Von Rospach @vicepresident@kitsapaudubon.org

  • 1 - Port Orchard

    2 - West Bremerton

    3 - Chico/Seabeck

    4 - East Bremerton

    5 - South Bainbridge Island

    6 - North Bainbridge Island

    7A - Silverdale/Keyport

    7B - Poulsbo

    Owling:

  • 1 - Hansville

    2 - Kingston

    3 - Port Gamble

    4 - Hood Canal

    5 - Poulsbo

    6 - Miller Bay

    Owling:

Christmas Bird Count “Current Year” and “Historical” Data

Image from National Audubon GIS Map Viewer

Image from National Audubon GIS Map Viewer

GIS Map of Existing Counting Circles

This map displays all active circles expected to occur during Audubon’s 119th Christmas Bird Count. You can zoom in to a specific location, and click on the circle to find the upcoming date and contact information for the compiler, or coordinator of that circle.

Christmas Bird Count Results: this is the main page from which you can explore Christmas Bird Count results.

To begin viewing CBC data, hover your cursor over the "Current Year" or "Historical" headings at the top of the page. Each section will allow you to select "Results by Count" or "Results by Species" which you can view by clicking on the appropriate listing.

Kitsap Audubon’s Data can be found by searching:

  1. United States/ Washington/ Kitsap County

  2. United States/Washington/Port Gamble

Data can be searched by year and by count and species.

Data can be searched by year and by count and species.