Results from the Count
Edmonton has been continuously participating
in this citizen science project since 1955.
in this citizen science project since 1955.
Edmonton holds the all-time, world record for number of participants!
And we're the Black-capped Chickadee capital of Canada.
And we're the Black-capped Chickadee capital of Canada.
Our World records:
PARTICIPATION World Record: Count #88 = 1287 total includes 135 Bushbeaters and 1153 Feeder Watchers (Dec 1987)
Boreal Owl: Count #106 = 8 birds (Dec 2005)
Black-billed Magpie: Count #121 = 3,447 birds (Dec 2020)
Bohemian Waxwing: Count #106 = 35,298 birds (Dec 2005)
Our Canadian Records
Downy Woodpecker: Count #116 = 568 birds (Dec 2015)
Pileated Woodpecker: Count #122 = 86 birds (Dec 2021)
Blue Jay: Count #89 = 1,598 birds (Dec 1988)
Black-capped Chickadee: Count #104 = 6,239 birds (Dec 2003)
Canadian and World record updates become available in the following year’s report.
PARTICIPATION World Record: Count #88 = 1287 total includes 135 Bushbeaters and 1153 Feeder Watchers (Dec 1987)
Boreal Owl: Count #106 = 8 birds (Dec 2005)
Black-billed Magpie: Count #121 = 3,447 birds (Dec 2020)
Bohemian Waxwing: Count #106 = 35,298 birds (Dec 2005)
Our Canadian Records
Downy Woodpecker: Count #116 = 568 birds (Dec 2015)
Pileated Woodpecker: Count #122 = 86 birds (Dec 2021)
Blue Jay: Count #89 = 1,598 birds (Dec 1988)
Black-capped Chickadee: Count #104 = 6,239 birds (Dec 2003)
Canadian and World record updates become available in the following year’s report.
The Audubon website allows you to search for results by year* and for any specific count including Edmonton. Historical Results
*The Count season occurs between December 14 and January 5 every year. Audubon's Count number reflects the year of the January completion.
*The Count season occurs between December 14 and January 5 every year. Audubon's Count number reflects the year of the January completion.
About Us
How did our Christmas Bird count get started and who was our first counter? How have the Count and our birds changed over the years? How did we achieve a World record and why is participation important? Find the answers to these questions and more in our Library .
How did our Christmas Bird count get started and who was our first counter? How have the Count and our birds changed over the years? How did we achieve a World record and why is participation important? Find the answers to these questions and more in our Library .
Audubon Count Year #124 (December 14, 2023 through January 5, 2024)
These once-a-year Counts occur in many countries within the prescribed date range.
These once-a-year Counts occur in many countries within the prescribed date range.
The Edmonton Count was held on Sunday, December 17th 2023.
Thank you to all our participants who continue this tradition!
"Bird Count Season" by Amy Johnson
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"Not Countable" by Colleen Raymond
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"Also Searching For Birds?" by Jay Froese
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The Edmonton Nature Club extends a special shout-out to Nature Alberta (NA) and the John Jansen Nature Centre (JJNC) . Both provided opportunities for families, youth and new birders to participate on Count day. Nature Alberta managed 56 bush beaters reporting as a single party. The John Jansen Nature Centre managed 24 bush beaters reporting as a single party as well as a party of 14 feeder watchers at their location. A huge thank you to the folks organizing, and assisting in, these activities which help our event be more inclusive!
Nature Alberta leaders mentoring participants
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Igniting the passion with Nature Alberta's Nature Kids program
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Answering the challenge extended by Count historian Geoff Holroyd to find 50 species, participants made an extra effort to prepare by attending the pre-Count presentation, reviewing our bird species on the website, and communicating about unusual sightings.
The biggest hurdle to bird diversity was perhaps the result of dry summer weather, which impacted food sources for the birds. Invertebrates may have been driven deeper in the soil so they were less available for ground feeding birds. The crop on fruiting trees like Mountain Ash was very limited and spruce cone seed crops may have been better elsewhere, or at least good enough that many of our winter birds didn’t need to come to Edmonton.
Fortunately, the weather did cooperate before, and during, Count day as the balmy daytime temperature hovered around 0°. There was a lot of open water on the river, although the diversity of duck species was not what we had hoped for. The moderate temperature allowed folks to walk a bit further, search a bit longer in suitable habitat, and document the unusual. Winds eventually calmed during the night for a few specialists to do a bit of nocturnal birding.
All those excellent efforts resulted in the zones each improving their number of reported species. Folks worked together to find 40 of the 43 "A List" expected species, a good start to this year's list of reported birds, and continued into the difficult "B" and rare "C" species.
Gray Partridge (A) by Joel Weatherly
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Great Horned Owl (A) by Chris Rees
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Bush Beater Highlights:
- The open water on the river hosted hundreds of ducks which were seen from both bordering zones. Although the diversity of species was not what we had hoped for, C list Bufflehead and Gadwall (pre-scouted) were found.
- Additionally, a late Ring-billed Gull (C) showed itself on Count Day. Folks were a bit surprised to be asked about that sighting but, although super common in summer, gulls do not overwinter here and of course we needed to verify the species of gull.
- Open water also kept Belted Kingfisher (C) lingering. Thanks to the individual who provided a heads up, counters were actively looking for this winter rarity and found two together along a trickling stream.
- It took 292 bush beaters to find a single, A list, Golden-crowned Kinglet. Whew!
- Our big miss was European Starling. This is the first time since 1955 that we haven't had the species on our Count! This is a ground feeding species perhaps impacted by the dry summer.
- A variety of A List waxwings and winter finches such as redpolls, grosbeaks and crossbills were present only in very small numbers in a few zones. Counters did well to find them all, along with a single Red Crossbill (B). A big surprise were the 4 Evening Grosbeaks (B) encountered by a bush beater. This species is no longer expected to venture into our urban setting.
- A variety of owls, A and B list, were scattered throughout the circle and nocturnal crews added a few to those seen during the day.
- Luckily a single bush beater managed to locate a Black-backed Woodpecker (B) .
- A giant gold star goes out to the bush beater who found a Ruffed Grouse . Although currently still on the A List, this is another species which disappeared from our reports as the city has expanded to urbanize our Count circle.
- The last bird added for the bush beater records was found by a pair of ladies who studied a finch feeding with Pine Grosbeaks in a fruiting tree. After consultation on the details observed, the location and behavior, it was noted to be the Cassin's Finch reported and photographed before and after the Count. This mountain species is an Edmonton rarity at any time and a first for the Edmonton Count.
Bufflehead (C) by Vince Cottrell
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Belted Kingfisher (C) by Mike Kuntz
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Gadwall (C) by Vince Cottrell
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Sharp-shinned Hawk (A) by Jay Froese
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Brown Creeper (A) by Wayne Oakes
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Feeder Watcher Highlights:
- Once again the feeder watchers did a great job of filling out the A list with species like Northern Flicker, Common Redpoll, Pine Siskin and Dark-eyed Junco.
- An American Goldfinch (B) was added during a feeder watch in a central zone.
- One counter on the western edge of the circle observed an unusual bird briefly at their feeder. While keeping an eye on the bird as it moved to a compost pile and eventually to a dog bowl, it became apparent it was a Canada Jay (B list).
- Our final species is a rarity which required a while to get sorted out. A homeowner noted an unfamiliar small bird visiting the feeder daily. Unable to identify the bird, he kept close watch, but photo attempts were not very successful. Fortunately, the gentleman was persistent and eventually got a clear photograph which he sent out for identification. Thank you to those involved, we were able to include his Cape May Warbler, another new species for our Count! Photo further down page.
Northern Flicker by Janice Hurlburt
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Downy Woodpeckers by Ted Myroniuk
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Pileated Woodpecker by Greg Wallace
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Count historian, Geoff Holroyd notes that our participation numbers remain strong, and far beyond those of any other count. We hope to maintain this tradition for Edmonton. Thanks to everyone who participates and encourages others!
Participants tallied 40 of 43 A listers as well as 7 additional species from the "B list" of difficult birds and continued into the "Rare bird" category for another 6 , including 2 new species, bringing the total to 53. Well done everyone!
Edmonton Christmas Bird Count Final Results for Sunday, December 17th 2023.
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Participation and total numbers:
# of Bush beaters: 292 # of Feeder watchers: 243 Total Participants: 534 Total # of Birds: 22,930 Total Species: 53 |
Results compiled by: Ann Carter, Event coordinator Statistics by: Geoff Holroyd, Count historian |
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“A List” Expected Bird Species: 40 out of 43 species
Canada Goose 138 Mallard 156 Common Goldeneye 203 Ruffed Grouse 1 after 4 years of absence Gray Partridge 39 Rock Pigeon 1953 Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 Cooper's Hawk 1 Northern Goshawk 1 Bald Eagle 9 Great Horned Owl 11 N. Saw-whet Owl 7 Three-toed Woodpckr ZERO (counted 1 in 2020 ) Downy Woodpecker 372 Hairy Woodpecker 46 Pileated Woodpecker 51 Northern Flicker 81 Merlin 14 Northern Shrike 3 Blue Jay 664 Black-billed Magpie 3288 American Crow 38 Common Raven 311 |
"A List" continued
Black-capped Chickadee 2647 Boreal Chickadee 33 Golden-crowned Kinglet 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch 557 White-breasted Nuthatch 383 Brown Creeper 8 European Starling ZERO (for the first time since 1955!) Townsend's Solitaire 13 American Robin 8 Bohemian Waxwing 3071 (403 last year) Cedar Waxwing 6 House Sparrow 6593 Pine Grosbeak 122 (43 last year) House Finch 1429 Purple Finch ZERO Common Redpoll 111 White-winged Crossbill 21 Pine Siskin 56 Dark-eyed Junco 154 White-throated Sparrow 9 |
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"B List” Difficult To Find Bird Species: Total of 7 species
(10 individual birds) Barred Owl 1 Boreal Owl 1 Black-backed Woodpecker 1 Canada Jay 1 Evening Grosbeak 4 Red Crossbill 1 American Goldfinch 1 |
“C List” Rare Species:
Total of 6 species (10 individual birds) Bufflehead 4 Ring-billed Gull 1 Gadwall 1 Belted Kingfisher 2 New Count Species: Cape May Warbler 1 winter rarity Cassin's Finch 1 Edmonton rarity |
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Winter Rarity, Cape May Warbler photo sent with report by homeowner.
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Edmonton Rarity, Cassin's Finch photo (taken prior to Count day) by Jordan Lange
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File with details of all zone specific numbers. Note: some numbers reflect duplication in adjacent zones.
2023.dec.17.results.by.zone.ECBC. FINAL
Thank you for the many wonderful photos submitted this year, here are a few more!
Waxwing Challenge by Marianne Dennis
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Hungry Pine Grosbeak by Nicholas Carter
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Favourite Woodpecker by Brenda Pullen
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Wintering Goldeneye by Nicholas Carter
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Nuthatch Portrait by Joel Weatherly
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Solitaire Puzzle by Jay Froese
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Report from last year VIEW HERE
Banner photo: Immature Bald Eagle by A. Carter
