Citizen Science Salon is a partnership between Discover magazine and SciStarter.org.
Every year around Christmas time, tens of thousands of volunteer birdwatchers gather in familiar locations across the Western Hemisphere for a tradition that dates back more than a century. On select days between December 14 and January 5, volunteers with the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count take a census of every bird they see as they walk specific routes, or even observe bird feeders, inside a designated 15-mile circle.
For many birders, it’s just good fun — a way to get outside and enjoy nature over the winter holiday.
