Bird Counts and Surveys

Bird surveys and counts help with scientific advancement by alerting communities to climate and environmental changes. Large, rapid declines in bird populations point to environmental problems that need immediate attention.

Christmas Bird Count

From December 14 through January 5, tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas take part in an adventure that has become a family tradition among generations. For over one hundred years, the desire to both make a difference and to experience the beauty of nature has driven dedicated people to leave the comfort of a warm house during the Holiday season and count birds. Won’t you join us this year for the Austin count? Audubon and other organizations use data collected in this longest-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations – and to help guide conservation action.

Great Backyard Bird Count

Launched in 1998, the Great Backyard Bird Count occurs every February. It was the first online citizen science project to collect data on birds and display results in real-time.

Monthly Bird Counts at Hornsby Bend

This event is sponsored monthly (on the second Saturday of the month) by the Hornsby Bend Bird Conservatory. For details, check out our events calendar and visit the Hornsby Bend website.

Claude’s River Survey (Discontinued)

On the first Saturday of each month, Claude Morris leads a group of kayakers on a bird survey at a different river location in the Austin area. For details, visit the Hornsby Bend website.

Blair Woods Survey

Travis Audubon hosts monthly bird surveys of Blair Woods Sanctuary that are used to understand how birdlife at the preserve is changing as the land is restored. If interested in helping, please email volunteer@travisaudubon.org.

Climate Watch

Starting Spring 2019, we will be conducting surveys for National Audubon’s Climate Watch Program. This program is a new community science program that explores how North American birds are responding to climate change. To get involved, contact volunteer@travisaudubon.org.