Great Sand Dunes Hosts Christmas Bird Count on December 31
The National Park Service invites volunteers of all experience levels and ages to participate in this longstanding citizen science event.
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Contact: Sierra Willoughby, 719-378-6341
Contact: Dewane Mosher, 719-378-6363
Mosca, Colo. – Birders and nature enthusiasts in the San Luis Valley are invited to join participants across the Western Hemisphere for Audubon's longest-running wintertime tradition: the annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC). This year, the event will be held at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve on Tuesday, December 31, starting at 7:45 a.m. Volunteers of all skill levels and ages are welcome and encouraged to take part in this exciting event.
To join the bird count at Great Sand Dunes, individuals must register as park volunteers. Interested participants should contact Park Biologist Dewane Mosher at 719-378-6363 or dewane_mosher@nps.gov to sign up. Registered volunteers will receive a waiver for the park entrance fee on the day of the event.
Volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. All participants are required to arrive at the park starting at 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday, December 31 to complete necessary paperwork, review safety guidelines, and receive maps and instructions for their assigned areas. Participants are encouraged to bring their own binoculars and spotting scopes. A limited number of these items may be available to borrow.
Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count is the longest-running citizen science survey in the world, taking place annually in late December. Tens of thousands of volunteers across North America brave winter weather to contribute to a dataset that spans more than a century, helping to track bird populations and trends.
The tradition began in 1900, when 27 conservationists in 25 locations proposed an alternative to the "side hunt," a holiday activity where teams competed to shoot the most birds and small mammals. Instead, these pioneers counted and recorded the birds they saw, laying the groundwork for what is now regarded as one of the most significant citizen-based conservation efforts in history.
For more information about the Christmas Bird Count, including its history and importance, visit the Audubon website at: https://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count.
Last updated: December 10, 2024