Pasadena Audubon’s 80th Christmas Bird Count – 2025
What is it?
The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is the oldest community science project in the United States. Each holiday season birders across the US (and beyond) go out and count all the birds they can find in set count circles covering 177 square miles in one 24-hour period. There are about 2100 active counts in total across the globe, and Pasadena Audubon is lucky enough to host one of them. The center of our count is a spot at the junction of North San Gabriel Boulevard and Duarte Road in San Gabriel, and it radiates out 7.5 miles in every direction from there (see map below). It takes in a host of parks (large and small), neighborhoods, open space and parts of the San Gabriel Mountains. You can see the count on this GIS map here: https://gis.audubon.org/christmasbirdcount/
When is it?
This year’s count takes place on Saturday, December 20th and this year marks our 80th year of running the count!!!!! We need your help to get all our birds counted and we welcome birders of all abilities! Most counters go out in small teams (ideally that fit in one vehicle) looking for birds in assigned areas. If you are a less experienced birder/counter we will try and put you with a team that has at least one experienced counter. Ideally, we are looking for birders who are willing to commit to a full day of looking for birds but if you can only commit to part of the day we can likely use you in some way too.
There are essentially three ways to participate in the count: 1/ Volunteer to join a team that already has a set route for their birding day. 2/ Head out and count an area in the circle on your own (or as part of a team that you form). 3/ Stay in your yard and count the birds coming to your feeders.
How to Get Involved
Join us on Wednesday, December 17th at 7:00 PM on Zoom for our organizational meeting (signup here). If you miss the meeting but still want to help with the count, email Jon Fisher and he'll assign you to a count team.
Then, after the count, join us at our traditional Bird Count Dinner Saturday evening, December 20th, from 6 to 8 pm, this year at Pinocchio's Pizza in Pasadena. You'll hear about what was seen and what was not and enjoy the company of other Pasadena Audubon birders over a delicious meal. Tickets for the dinner are available here.
If you are new to counting (or want a refresher) join us on Saturday, Dec 6th for our CBC Warm Up Walk or Sunday Dec 7th for our CBC Warm Up Sit. The walk is open to those interested in joining a count team on the day and the sit is open to those interested in counting birds at their feeders on the day.
This Years Count Details
Count Day is from 12:01 AM to 11:59 PM on December 20, 2025 We will count all individual birds detected on that day.
Count Week runs 12:01 AM on December 17th to 11:59 PM on December 23rd. Any additional species detected during that period, but not on Count Day, will be noted in the summary report for the count.
If you'd like to take part in the Christmas Bird Count at your own feeder, download and check out these guidelines, protocol and submission sheet for Feeder Watchers from PAS president Luke Tiller.
Counting birds for CBC is essentially the same as making a list of birds seen during casual birding. However, to maximize your contribution to CBC, please review these guidelines in advance.
Learn more about the history and science of the Christmas Bird Count at audubon.com.
For any questions about the Pasadena-San Gabriel Valley CBC itself, please contact count coordinator Jon Fisher at JonF60@hotmail.com and/or PAS field trip chair Alex Coffey at jaredn.pas@gmail.com.
Pasadena Audubon’s 80th Christmas Bird Count – 2025
What is it?
The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is the oldest community science project in the United States. Each holiday season birders across the US (and beyond) go out and count all the birds they can find in set count circles covering 177 square miles in one 24-hour period. There are about 2100 active counts in total across the globe, and Pasadena Audubon is lucky enough to host one of them. The center of our count is a spot at the junction of North San Gabriel Boulevard and Duarte Road in San Gabriel, and it radiates out 7.5 miles in every direction from there (see map below). It takes in a host of parks (large and small), neighborhoods, open space and parts of the San Gabriel Mountains. You can see the count on this GIS map here: https://gis.audubon.org/christmasbirdcount/
When is it?
This year’s count takes place on Saturday, December 20th and this year marks our 80th year of running the count!!!!! We need your help to get all our birds counted and we welcome birders of all abilities! Most counters go out in small teams (ideally that fit in one vehicle) looking for birds in assigned areas. If you are a less experienced birder/counter we will try and put you with a team that has at least one experienced counter. Ideally, we are looking for birders who are willing to commit to a full day of looking for birds but if you can only commit to part of the day we can likely use you in some way too.
There are essentially three ways to participate in the count: 1/ Volunteer to join a team that already has a set route for their birding day. 2/ Head out and count an area in the circle on your own (or as part of a team that you form). 3/ Stay in your yard and count the birds coming to your feeders.
How to Get Involved
Join us on Wednesday, December 17th at 7:00 PM on Zoom for our organizational meeting (signup here). If you miss the meeting but still want to help with the count, email Jon Fisher and he'll assign you to a count team.
Then, after the count, join us at our traditional Bird Count Dinner Saturday evening, December 20th, from 6 to 8 pm, this year at Pinocchio's Pizza in Pasadena. You'll hear about what was seen and what was not and enjoy the company of other Pasadena Audubon birders over a delicious meal. Tickets for the dinner are available here.
If you are new to counting (or want a refresher) join us on Saturday, Dec 6th for our CBC Warm Up Walk or Sunday Dec 7th for our CBC Warm Up Sit. The walk is open to those interested in joining a count team on the day and the sit is open to those interested in counting birds at their feeders on the day.
This Years Count Details
Count Day is from 12:01 AM to 11:59 PM on December 20, 2025 We will count all individual birds detected on that day.
Count Week runs 12:01 AM on December 17th to 11:59 PM on December 23rd. Any additional species detected during that period, but not on Count Day, will be noted in the summary report for the count.
If you'd like to take part in the Christmas Bird Count at your own feeder, download and check out these guidelines, protocol and submission sheet for Feeder Watchers from PAS president Luke Tiller.
Counting birds for CBC is essentially the same as making a list of birds seen during casual birding. However, to maximize your contribution to CBC, please review these guidelines in advance.
Learn more about the history and science of the Christmas Bird Count at audubon.com.
For any questions about the Pasadena-San Gabriel Valley CBC itself, please contact count coordinator Jon Fisher at JonF60@hotmail.com and/or PAS field trip chair Alex Coffey at jaredn.pas@gmail.com.