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Email: info@birdprotectionquebec.org
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Participatory science (also known as community or citizen science) refers to amateurs contributing to projects or ongoing programs of scientific work in which a network of volunteers performs or manages research-related tasks such as observation, data collection, or analysis. The use of such networks often allows scientists to accomplish research objectives more feasibly than would otherwise be possible. In addition, these projects aim to promote public engagement with the research, as well as with science in general.
Begun in 1900, the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is North America’s longest-running participatory science project and has spread to include volunteers participating in more than 2,000 locations across the Western Hemisphere. Birds Canada is responsible for the CBC program for Canada, in partnership with National Audubon Society. The information collected by thousands of volunteer scientists forms one of the world’s largest sets of wildlife survey data.
Areas across the country are divided into mandated 24 km-wide circles. Counts for each circle are organized by a compiler, a volunteer at the local level often supported by a birding club. Bird Protection Quebec has organized teams of volunteers for two CBC circles—one covering the Montreal region and the other the Hudson region— since 1936 and 1941 respectively. We encourage birders from other regions to get involved as well.
CBCs are held on a date selected by our coordinators each year between December 14 and January 5. The Montreal circle is centered at the intersection of Sherbrooke Street West and Westminster Avenue in Montreal West. The Hudson circle is centered at Cooper Airport in Saint-Lazare and covers Coteau-du-Lac, Saint-Lazare, Hudson, Les Cèdres, St-Clet, Vaudreuil-Dorion and a small part of Oka.
You can contribute to the count in one of the two following ways. There is no charge for participating and no previous experience is required.
If you are unable to participate but keep your bird feeders full, we’d be happy to have one of our teams pass by to make sure your feathered visitors are included in the year’s count data. Please contact one of the CBC coordinators to provide your location details.
Contact our coordinators by sending an email to info@birdprotectionquebec.org, subject line “Christmas Bird Count”, mentioning which of the two counts you would like to join or for which you want to register as a feeder watcher.
