Morro Bay and Carrizo Plain Christmas Bird Counts


ALL Christmas Bird Count Results   How To Register for MB CBC  Carrizo Plain CBC



Over 2,500 Christmas Bird Counts are held annually across North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands as part of a continent-wide, citizen-science effort to ascertain the winter distribution and fluctuation in numbers of North American birds. A summary of the 125th CBC results will be available on the National Audubon Society website, and our local count circle results will be posted on the MCAS website.

This year's Morro Coast Audubon Society's 71st Morro Bay Christmas Bird Count will be held on Saturday, December 14th, dawn to dusk, rain or shine!


This year's VIRTUAL Community Program and MB CBC compilation event will be held on Monday, December 16th. Zoom info will be sent out from MCAS and SLOCOBIRDING as well as posted to MCAS website and MCAS Events Calendar.


The MB count is conducted within a circle, 15 miles in diameter, that is centered at the intersection of Turri Road and Los Osos Valley Road (MORRO BAY CBC SECTOR MAP). The circle is divided into 54 sectors. Many counters are needed to achieve a good count and maintain MCAS's high and nationally-accredited ranking. Our success in the National Ranking has been the result of having lots of people in the field sighting and counting birds within the circle. Only species and numbers of birds seen within this circle and its sectors may be counted.

There is no fee to participate in either CBC and all skill levels are welcome. MB CBC Registration, opening on November 1st, is required to participate (see below). You are asked to register by Sunday, December 1st so that the 54 sectors can be organized in order to provide thorough coverage of the entire circle. After you register your Area Leader, who coordinates multiple sectors, will contact you in early December.

Please realize that you will be part of an important team. We seek specific data on the diversity and population of the birds in our Count Circle. Your efforts are being directed by a group that is responsible for the consistency and quality of the data produced. If there is a sector that you would like to explore but you were not assigned to it for this year's CBC, please plan on birding there after the CBC is completed. We rely on your utmost attention to all you hear and see during the survey in the sector to which you have been assigned.

Audubon members and friends everywhere . . . THANK YOU!

CARRIZO PLAIN CBC:

The Morro Coast Audubon Society's 54th Carrizo Plain CBC is a separate event that is coordinated independently. It will be held on Sunday, January 5, 2025 from morning until mid-afternoon. For more information go to Carrizo Plain CBC webpage.


HOW TO REGISTER for MB CBC:

Step 1.   SELECT SECTOR(s)

First, open the MORRO BAY CBC SECTOR MAP. You can click on any sector in the count circle to view a description and a detailed map of that sector. If you prefer, you may download a document that contains a reference map and a description of each sector by clicking on one of the following formats: PDF, DOCX. When you register you will be asked to enter up to three sectors in which you would like to count birds. We will do our best to assign you to one of your choices.

Step 2.   COMPLETE ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM

Registration is now CLOSED.

To register late (yes, it's possible), please email CBCMBCompiler.

Step 3.   DOWNLOAD CBC INFORMATION

GO HERE TO DOWNLOAD checklists, maps, GPS info, and other files that you may need on count day.


Again, thank you and... Good Luck!

Morro Bay Count Compiler:
Jay Carroll
(805) 235-4573
CBCMBCompiler 

Morro Bay Count Registrar:
Joanne Aasen 
(805) 540-0363
CBCMBRegistrar 

Carrizo Plain Count Compiler and Registrar:
Russ Namitz at CBCCarrizo

Morro Bay CBC Results (PDF):

NOTE: Open a PDF below, then use FIND (Ctrl/Cmd-F) to search for any specie. Try it! 

2010 2011 2012
2013 2014 2015
2016 2017 2018
2019 2020 2021
2022 2023
Carrizo Plain CBC Results (PDF):
2019 2020 2021
2022 2023
To retrieve detailed results for ANY year and ANY count circle, world wide:
  1. Go to https://netapp.audubon.org/CBCObservation/CurrentYear/ResultsByCount.aspx.
  2. Enter CAMR (Morro Bay) or CACP (Carrizo Plain) in Count Code box (or select any other count circle you want by entering Country and State/Province).
  3. Wait for a second or two for the count circle list to display.
  4. If the count circle does not display, then the results for the current year have not yet been posted to Audubon. Check back later.
  5. Click little circle to the left of your desired count circle to display results.
  6. To Export results to your computer, select file format from selection at top.
  7. Enter text in Common Name or Scientific Name to search results for select species.
  8. You can find results for previous years by clicking Historical at top.
Try it! 

*To see counts in prior years, select Historical-->Results by Count