Dec 6, 2025 · At the time, many communities marked the holidays with a “Side Hunt”—a competition to shoot as many birds and mammals as possible. Frank Chapman, an early …

Frank Chapman and 26 other conservationists initiated the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) as a way of promoting conservation by counting, rather than hunting, birds on Christmas Day of 1900.

4 days ago · The hunters would gather and split into two sides and go out into the field with rifles and shotguns. The side that had the most feathered and furred animals won. As the 20th …

Mar 5, 2024 · Conservationist Frank M. Chapman proposed counting birds instead of hunting them, leading to the first Christmas Bird Count organized by 27 volunteers in 25 locations …

By counting birds in a consistent manner during a defined season over an extended period, the Christmas Bird Count allows researchers to assess population health, identify species in …

The twist: counting birds instead of hunting birds for sport, which was a widespread Christmas tradition at the time. On Christmas day, Frank and 26 other birdwatchers counted birds and …

Dec 20, 2024 · This new, more respectful tradition was to count birds during the holidays, instead of hunting them. Across the nation, the first 25 CBC’s were held, spanning coast to coast and …

Dec 5, 2024 · Instead of hunting birds, Chapman proposed a new tradition—one that celebrated the birds rather than threatened them. Thus, the Christmas Bird Count was born. This event …

Dec 9, 2024 · This practice alarmed conservationists like ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, who recognized the toll it took on declining bird populations. On Christmas Day in 1900, Chapman …

Counting birds first began in 1900 when U.S. ornithologist Frank M. Chapman first proposed replacing the traditional Christmas “Side Hunt,” a contest in which participants competed to kill …