Hilton Head Audubon Christmas Bird Count

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is an early winter snapshot of bird populations.  It is the nation’s longest-running citizen science survey, providing critical data on bird population trends.  The count started in 1900 and has grown to include many locations in the Western Hemisphere.  Each count is done in a 15-mile diameter circle.  There are now over 2,600 count circles!  Counts must be scheduled on one day between December 14 and January 5.

Our Hilton Head count day is usually near the beginning of the count time period.  We identify and count all birds seen or heard in a 24-hour period.  Our 15-mile diameter circle includes all of Hilton Head, Pinckney and Daufuskie Islands, our waterways and parts of Bluffton out to Palmetto Bluff and Colleton River Club.   We have 21 Area Captains who lead the teams.  Teams include birders of various levels of experience, photographers and record keepers .  

CBC 2026

The next CBC for the Hilton Head count circle will be on Monday, December 14, 2026.  Area Captains will start putting their teams together in the fall.  We welcome birders for field teams as well as feeders watchers who count from home.  If you participated in the count last year, your Area Captain will be contacting you.  If you are new to our count and interested in being a part of this international effort, please email HHICBC@gmail.com and an Area Captain will contact you. For planning ahead, here are dates for the 2027 and 2028 CBCs for HHI and surrounding areas.

CBC 2025

Weather conditions had a major impact on the count on December 15, 2025.  Count day coincided with an Arctic blast, with wind chill temperatures of 8°F at 6:00 a.m. Although winds eased later in the day and temperatures rose to a high of 42°F, the conditions limited coverage and bird activity. The total bird count was 19,824, which is 27% below our ten-year average.

Boat access was especially affected. Only one of our four major boat routes was fully covered, and two boats were unable to go out at all due to unsafe conditions. As a result, species normally seen in large numbers by boaters—such as Semipalmated Plovers and Dunlins—were reported in much lower numbers. Access was further restricted by the closure of many golf courses. Despite these challenges, observers recorded 140 species, slightly above our average of 136.

Participation remained strong, with 301 total birders. We had 204 field participants, compared to a ten-year average of 239. Feeder watching was especially popular, with 97 dedicated feeder watchers and an additional 32 field birders also reporting feeder activity. This increased effort resulted in a count of 31 hummingbirds, more than double the average of 14.

Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks reached a new high of 402.  Wood Ducks and Green-winged Teal were well above average. Bufflehead and Hooded Merganser numbers were high but close to typical levels.  Bald Eagle sightings were strong; after removing likely duplicates, the total was 51, near our average. In contrast, gulls and Brown Pelicans—usually widespread across count areas—were down by 60%.

Notable rare or unusual species included Common Goldeneye, Painted Bunting, White-winged Dove, and Hairy Woodpecker. Count Week highlights included a Red-breasted Nuthatch, Snow Goose, Eastern Screech-Owl, and Northern Shoveler.

We could not have such a successful count without the enthusiasm and dedication of our participants.  Our special thanks go to the Area Captains who do a superb job of recruiting, organizing and reporting.  Thanks to all who contributed!  Here are our 2025 results for all species as part of our Ten-Year History.

Below are the links to the videos of the CBC meeting on December 4, 2025.

This link “CBC2025 Opening” is for the Opening Remarks by Kay Grinnell, HH Audubon President, and Susan Murphy, HHA CBC Coordinator.

This link “CBC2025 Bob Speare” is Bob Speare’s presentation.

Also, the link to the shorebird study conducted on Hilton Head Island, that was mentioned by Bob Speare at the meeting.

Looking back: CBC 2024/5 

National Audubon has issued their report on the 2024/5 count .  The 2024/5 National Summary is interesting reading. 

Our Hilton Head CBC on December 16, 2024, had 327 participants, the fifth highest number of the 2,693 count circles.  There were 83,109 participants across the Western Hemisphere who counted 44,269,423 birds and 2,503 species.  Here is the 2024/5 South Carolina Summary by region.