Paria River District invites volunteers to join 125th Christmas Bird Count

KANAB, Utah — Are you a citizen scientist who enjoys birding and aiding conservation efforts? BLM Paria River District invites you to participate in the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count — an annual bird-census — Dec. 18, 2025. 

“We welcome anyone and everyone to participate in the Christmas Bird Count,” said Kanab Field Office Wildlife Biologist Lisa Church. “Volunteers can count birds while on a walk in local public lands, or even in their own backyard, making it easy to join in and learn about local and migrating feathered friends.” 

Last year, adults and students logged data for 62 species, with nearly 4,000 total birds observed in and around Kanab, Escalante, and Bryce Canyon, Utah, as well as Page, Arizona. When combined with other surveys like the Breeding Bird Survey, the Audubon Christmas Bird Count provides a picture of how bird populations have changed in the United States over time and space for more than one-hundred years. The long-term perspective is vital for species conservation, as data gathered is used to protect birds and their habitat, while helping identify potential issues affecting birds. 

Local bird counts will be held Dec. 18, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the following locations: 

• Escalante Interagency Visitor Center 755 W Main Street, Escalante, Utah  

• Paria River District Headquarters S Highway 89A, Kanab, Utah 

Event data may be submitted on paper in person or by email to BLM Wildlife Biologist Lisa Church at [email protected].

Several area schools are also participating — count forms will be sent home with students and may be returned to school. For information on other bird count events near you, check the 2025 Christmas Bird Count Schedule. For additional event information contact BLM Wildlife Biologist Lisa Church at [email protected]. 

- BLM-

 

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