The Christmas Bird Count is a census of early-winter bird populations sponsored by Bird Studies Canada in partnership with the Audubon Society. People across North America cooperate to count birds in their area between December 14th to January 5th. The results of their efforts are compiled into the longest running database in ornithology, representing over a century of unbroken data on trends of early-winter bird populations across the Americas. Simply put, the Christmas Bird Count, or "CBC", is citizen science in action.
The first offical CBC in Manitoba took place in 1925. Nature Manitoba has been organizing regular CBC's in Winnipeg and publishing count results in our newsletter since the 1960s!
Christmas Bird Counts are held regularly in several locations in Manitoba, and are a great reason to get outside. See below to find a Christmas Bird Count near you or check out our Bird Outings to join a Nature Manitoba team.
Manitoba Christmas Bird Counts 2021
Please contact the CBC organizer in your area to register for a count and to confirm COVID-19 protocols and vaccine requirements. COVID-19 restrictions and protocols may differ depending on an area's Provincial restrictions as well as an organizer's preference/policy. Each Christmas Bird Count is organized by individual volunteers/organizations and not by Nature Manitoba. However, Nature Manitoba does organize the Winnipeg count and has a long history supporting CBCs in Manitoba. We support our local birders and the generous volunteers who donate their time for these events. Please be respectful and stay safe!
| LOCATION | DATE OF COUNT | ORGANIZER | CONTACT INFO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balmoral | December 19, 2021 | James | 204-404-7063 or owlfamily@mts.net |
| Brandon | December 19, 2021 | Gillian | westman.naturalists@gmail.com |
| Cranberry Portage | December 19, 2021 | Chris | chriscransmith@gmail.com |
| Delta Marsh/Portage Plains | December 28, 2021 | Cal | merlineco2016@gmail.com |
| East Braintree | December 30, 2021 | Graham | graham.peters@arocha.ca |
| Gimli | December 16, 2021 | Bonnie | 204-641-5064 or cwe@mymts.net |
| Hodgson | December 23, 2021 | Joanne | picsmith@live.ca |
| Oak Hammock Marsh | December 18, 2021 | Paula | p_grieef@ducks.ca |
| Portage La Prairie | December 19, 2021 | Cal | merlineco2016@gmail.com |
| Selkirk | December 14, 2021 | Gerald | machneeg@gmail.com |
| Winnipeg | December 19, 2021 | Rudolf | rkoes@mymts.net |
See the latest CBC results here.
You can learn more about these counts by visiting these great sites: Bird Studies Canada and Audubon Society