Birds & Boughs

It’s about that time of the year again, time for the Christmas Bird Count!  And no, we’re not talking about seven swans a-swimmin’ or partridges in pear trees. We’re talking about National Audubon Society’s official Christmas Bird Count, or CBC, a volunteer-based bird census open to the public that now spans across 20 countries.

Each year, from December 14th through January 5th, birders across North and South America gather to observe bird populations, later compiling and recording their data as a means of better understanding the health and evolutionary success of our Christmas birds. With its inception on Christmas Day in 1900 as a means of promoting the conservation of native bird species as opposed to the (at the time) societal norm of hunting, by counting instead. Then called the “Christmas Bird Census” by its original coordinator, Frank Chapman, an ornithologist and one of the OG members of the early National Audubon Society, the first CBC recorded over 90 bird species thanks to 27 volunteers across North America. Since then, it’s become a national sensation, encouraging even novice birders to step into the brisk outdoors and participate in this public research.

While the official CBC is organized and compiled by the National Audubon Society (you can read more about how to join the festivities HERE), there’s nothing saying you can’t seek out your neighborhood birds and record your own data. Across North America, specifically within the Mid-Atlantic, New England, and Midwestern regions, hundreds of bird species can be found and recorded on easy-to-use apps such as Merlin and iNaturalist. Like the CBC, these apps provide opportunities for the public to participate in tracking and overall helping to conserve their local bird populations.

Of course, we have to tie this back around to plants somehow, so what can plants do to help? Well, you can start by incorporating more bird-friendly species into the landscape, such as those listed below. While many fruit-bearing plants are vital to birds in the cool winter months, so are the abundant seedheads found on our native grasses and herbaceous perennials.

We’ve compiled a helpful list of the top ten (in our opinion) winter birds in our region, and the plants that support their success.

We know it’s jam-packed with tiny bits of information, but no need to fret! Click the chart below or THIS LINK to be redirected to a downloadable PDF file.

Having trouble accessing the link? Feel free to email Kate at kate@pleasantrunnursery.com to request the chart file.