How did the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) get its start?

From a pile of feathers to a century of data—the Christmas Bird Count transformed a hunting tradition into one of conservation's most powerful tools.
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In 1900, the holiday Side Hunt was a popular sport: hunters competed to bring in the biggest pile of shot birds and wildlife. But as bird populations declined, ornithologist Frank M. Chapman had a better idea. On Christmas Day 1900, he rallied 27 birders to count birds instead of killing them. A total of 25 count circles participated, tallying around 90 species across North America.
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Fast forward more than 125 years later: the CBC now engages tens of thousands of participant volunteers annually from December 14 through January 5 across the Americas. This century-plus dataset—one of the world's longest-running community science efforts—gives researchers an irreplaceable view into how bird populations change over time. Combined with breeding season surveys, CBC data guides conservation decisions that protect birds, habitats, and the environmental health we all depend on.
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For more on CBC history and how the data drives conservation, watch the video below.