Birds are a big part of holiday traditions in Missouri. One of the longest-running traditions, entering its 126th year this week, is the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count, from December 14–January 5. Since 1900, birdwatchers in the Show-Me State have played an active role in the citizen-led science project, which continues to shape what we know about birds and how we protect them today.
“It creates a long-term data set scientists use to see what’s going on,” says Jonah Eckels-Galbreath, senior education coordinator at the Audubon Center at Riverlands. “It’s like a temperature check to see what birds are doing.”
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According to National Audubon Society data, more than 83,000 participants were involved in the 2024-25 count. Data gathered during the counts assists scientists with identifying species population trends and, in turn, can impact conservation and management policies.
“Anyone who can pick up a pair of binoculars and identify birds has the opportunity to participate in the science and, ultimately, protect birds,” says Audubon Center at Riverlands director Ken Buchholz. “That 83,000 number is really impressive—I would not be shocked if it continues to increase.”
Ornithologist Frank Chapman first proposed the Christmas Bird Count as an alternative to the then-popular holiday tradition of side hunts, during which hunters would compete to see how many birds they could kill. The first count was held across 25 locations in North America and observed 90 species of birds. “La Grange, Missouri, had one in that first count,” Eckles-Galbreath says. “Missouri has been part of the Christmas Bird Count since the beginning.”
The St. Louis area and Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary, in particular, are popular birding destinations because of their geographic location near the confluences of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois rivers. This area, known as the Mississippi Flyway, is a critical migration path for many species. “We’re at the heart of that flyway on thousands of acres of well-maintained and varied habitat, and that really attracts a large variety of birds,” says Buchholz. “We’re a perennial birding hotspot.”
“The trumpeter swans and bald eagles are the stars of winter here, but we get so many cool birds: northern harriers, short-eared and long-eared owls, American kestrels,” Buchholz adds. “Forty percent of the nation’s waterfowl use the Mississippi River, so we see huge diversity here.”
Signing up for the Christmas Bird Count is easy: Audubon’s website shows which circles are taking part in this year’s count and provides a webinar to explain how the count works. Don’t worry if you don’t have binoculars or have never identified a bird before; veteran birders are quick to take newcomers under their wings and pass on the science of birdwatching.
Riverlands also hosts the Birds of Winter series every weekend until February 8, beginning with Eagle Ice Fest on January 3. The Bows for Birds program, which runs through February, takes participants on a scavenger hunt for species across a dozen St. Louis area parks and natural areas. And, of course, the Christmas Bird Count is always looking for volunteers.
“It’s a good way to get involved if you’re bird curious,” says Eckles-Galbreath. “It’s one of those fun traditions that’s meaningful, and it has a good community around it as well.”
The Audubon Christmas Bird Count runs from December 14, 2025 to January 5, 2026. For more information about the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, including how to join, visit audubon.org. For more details, including upcoming events at the Audubon Center at Riverlands, visit audubon.org/riverlands.
