Oakland Included in Audubon Bird Count

The largest Christmas bird count in the world took place in a 15-mile circle centered in Oakland on Sunday.

The Golden Gate Audubon Society says more than 270 birders counted shorebirds, waterbirds, raptors and songbirds in Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, Orinda, Lafayette, Moraga and Alameda.

Now in its 76th year, the Oakland count is part of a worldwide Audubon tradition going back more than a century. Each winter, birders spend a full day from dawn to dusk counting both species and individual birds in a designated 15-mile circle.

It reveals trends in bird populations and helps policymakers develop strategies to protect at-risk species.

Cindy Margulis, the executive director of the Golden Gate Audubon Society, said birds and wildlife face many risks, including the loss of habitat due to urban development and climate change.

"The information provided by our dedicated Christmas bird count volunteers is more important than ever to ensure the survival of the amazing birds that inhabit our yard, parks and open spaces," Margulis said in a
statement.

The Christmas bird count began in 1900, when conservationist Frank Chapman proposed a holiday-season bird count as a humane alternative to the tradition of a Christmas bird hunt.

— Bay City News; Image by David P. Whelan, Morguefile

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