American Birds 2005-2006, Summary of the 106th Christmas Bird Count

Photo by Steve Metz

Many catalysts draw us into the field on Christmas Bird Counts, and one of them is the change to find an exciting bird. One of the questions many observers have in mind each season is whether they will encounter a Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus), certainly one of the world's most spectacular birds of prey. The 106th CBC was a good one for Snowy Owl sightings, with good numbers found in many northern regions. However, the southernmost individual of the season was this Snowy, impeccably photographed on Oklahoma's Hula River Christmas Bird Count.

The 106th CBC again had record-high number of counts included and participants involved, catalyzed by a good flight of wandering arctic Snowy Owls. Read the summaries in American Birds, peruse the Pictorial Highlights, and find feature articles recounting past feats and accomplishments on CBCs over the years, increasing numbers of Hooded Mergansers, and new ways of getting involved with the conservation of coastal bird species.

Note: all articles below require Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing.

Pages 107-128 contain these items:

Christmas Bird Count Editorial Codes and Database Flags

Count Circles, Codes, and Compilers on the 106th Count  

Summary of Highest Counts of Individuals for Canada, by Richard J. Cannings
Summary of Highest Counts of Individuals for the United States, by Brent Ortego