Experience beauty every day
Never miss a moment and keep search at your fingertips. Just set Bing as your browser's homepage with a few easy steps!
Image of the day
'Hoo' said that?
© pchoui/Getty Images
For 125 years, bird enthusiasts across North America have turned the holiday season into a festive, feathered affair with the Christmas Bird Count. Founded by ornithologist Frank Chapman as an eco-friendly twist on holiday hunting parties, this annual event replaced shotguns with binoculars. Since then, it has become one of the world's longest-running citizen science projects. Every year from December 14 to January 5, volunteers of all ages and birding skill levels come together to survey designated areas called 'circles.' Each circle has a 15-mile diameter, and participants count every bird they see or hear within it. The result is a colossal snapshot of bird diversity, with data collected from over 2,500 locations each season. It's a serious effort to track changes in bird populations, providing valuable data for scientists working to protect vulnerable species.
Learn moreQuick fact:
Unlike most owls, the northern hawk-owl does not have asymmetrical ear openings.
