From wrens to raptors, Grand Canyon National Park is home to as many as 373 species of birds. For this reason and more, the park has been designated an official Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society.
Birds are an integral part of the larger ecosystem and provide no shortage of awe and entertainment for park visitors from rim to river. The wildlife biologists and other resource managers at Grand Canyon National Park are devoted to the study and protection of these winged wonders.
One tool at their disposal is the annual bird count that takes place each year in conjunction with the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC). This citizen science program has been gathering data on birds across North America for 116 years.
Grand Canyon National Park resumed its participation in the CBC in 2012 after a thirty-year hiatus. The volunteer efforts are straightforward, yet vital, and consist of having participants count and identify any birds that they encounter in a 24-hour period.
This year’s event will take place on Monday, December 12. If you’d like to get involved, please email Brian Gatlin, Supervisory Ranger, Desert View, at brian_gatlin@nps.gov. All skill levels are welcome, though some basic familiarity with the canyon’s wintering birds is helpful.
