Black-capped chickadee (Photo by Denis Doucet via Parks Canada)
The Christmas Bird Count begins later this week in New Brunswick’s two national parks – Fundy and Kouchibouguac.
Birdwatching enthusiasts or anyone who wants to explore their love for nature is invited to take part.
The annual event has become an important wildlife census.
Allison Moody, an ecosystem scientist with Parks Canada, says it’s a great opportunity to see species which use the region as their wintering grounds.
“Birds that consider New Brunswick their southern area. So we have a lot of species around here that you might not see the rest of the year and you’ll see just occasionally in winter.
“We have black-capped chickadees which you might be familiar with – they have a black cap on them. In the wintertime, we get a lot more of boreal chickadees which have a brown cap on them and basically sound like a black-capped chickadee with a cold,” adds Moody.
During the bird count, coordinators will pair up beginners with more experienced birders to help identify the various species.
Observations and data from the events help identify long term trends in winter bird communities.
The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) will be held December 17 at Fundy National Park and on December 18 at Kouchibouguac National Park.
The CBC is led by the U.S. National Audubon Society across North America in partnership with Birds Canada.
Parks Canada is one of many organizations participating and contributing to the annual bird count.
For more information, visit the Birds Canada interactive website.
