Christmas Bird Count 2024

The holidays are quickly approaching, so you need to get this date into your calendars right away! The San Marcos Christmas Bird Count will be held this year on Sunday, December 15th. It should hopefully be a celebration of the birds in our area and a great excuse to see old faces and make some new birding friends. It’s also the 9th year for the San Marcos CBC, which is hard to believe!

If you want to forward this email to friends/family who haven’t participated in a Christmas Bird Count before, here is what this event is all about. In a nutshell, the CBC is a fantastic opportunity to participate in a nationwide (and international) citizen-science bird census, where birders and nature enthusiasts go out and count birds in their area on a specific day, giving a snapshot in time as to how bird populations are doing. Participation is for anyone and everyone, regardless of skill level. All you need is enthusiasm and willingness to be outside for a bit. Section leaders will guide teams and assist with bird ID, so you will not be alone.

If you’re interested in participating this year, please email Rebekkah Rylander ([email protected]), who will put you on the list for future emails with more details. Also, feel free to email her if you would like more information now:

Last year, 51 people participated in the count and registered 128 unique species, the third-highest count for this area. To review last year’s totals, click here.

Submitted by Rebekkah Rylander, PhD
Science Coordinator
Rio Grande Joint Venture
American Bird Conservancy