126th Annual Christmas Bird Count Coming to Minot December 27th

The sun won’t be up yet when a small band of birders gathers at Prairie Sky Bread this Saturday morning, thermoses in hand, ready to spend the shortest days of the year doing something humans have done for 126 winters straight: counting birds. The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is part tradition, part science experiment—a continent-wide census that turns backyard birdwatchers into citizen scientists. In Minot, compiler Joe Super is looking for volunteers willing to brave the cold and contribute to one of the longest-running wildlife surveys on Earth. Full Details are below.

## News Release, Minot Birders ##

126th Annual Christmas Bird Count Coming to Minot

Media Contact: Joe Super, 701-818-0577, joseph.super@minot.k12.nd.us

Key Details

What: 126th Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count
When: Saturday, December 27, 2025
Where: Meet at Prairie Sky Bread, 3 1st St SE, Suite 1, Minot, ND

Schedule

• 5:30 a.m. — Owling session begins (meet at Prairie Sky Bread)
• 8:00 a.m. — Main count begins; groups divide and drive the count circle
• 12:30 p.m. — Reconvene at Prairie Sky Bread

To participate: Contact compiler Joe Super at 701-818-0577

About the Count

For the 126th year, the National Audubon Society is organizing the annual Christmas Bird Count. On December 27, birders and nature enthusiasts in Minot will join this tradition spanning more than twelve decades. Data collected by participants contribute to one of only two large existing pools of information that help ornithologists and conservation biologists determine what action is needed to protect birds and their habitats.

The CBC is one of the longest-running wildlife censuses in the world. Each count takes place in a 15-mile-wide circle led by a compiler who organizes volunteers and submits observations to Audubon. Participants tally all birds seen or heard—not just species, but total numbers—to provide a clear picture of population health.

“The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is a great tradition and opportunity for everyone to be a part of more than 12 decades of community science in the name of protecting birds,” said Dr. Brooke Bateman, senior director of climate and community science for Audubon. “Your observations help scientists discover trends about bird species that inform conservation.”

Why It Matters

When combined with surveys like the Breeding Bird Survey, CBC data provide a picture of how the continent’s bird populations have changed over the past hundred years. This long-term perspective is vital for conservationists, informing strategies to protect birds and their habitat.

In 2019, a study published in Science used decades of CBC data to describe a steady loss of nearly three billion North American birds since 1970. A 2022 Audubon study used 90 years of CBC data to show how birds have shifted amid major environmental changes. With two-thirds of North American bird species at increasing risk of extinction by the end of this century, CBC data is more important than ever.

How to Participate

Birders of all ages and abilities are welcome. Volunteers break into small parties and follow assigned routes, counting every bird they see. Some participants watch feeders instead of following routes.

Local count: Contact Joe Super at 701-818-0577 or joseph.super@minot.k12.nd.us

Find other counts: Visit Audubon’s map of CBC circles to find and contact a compiler near you.

There is no fee to participate.

About Audubon

The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Audubon works throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. A nonprofit conservation organization since 1905, Audubon believes in a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Learn more at www.audubon.org.

Release from: Minot Birders