THE OSA PENINSULA & CORCOVADO NATIONAL PARK
AUDUBON CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS
This year marks our 14th annual Osa Peninsula and the 10th annual Corcovado National Park CBC both held on December 16, 2023.
A bit of CBC History
In 1900, the first Audubon Christmas Bird count (CBC) was conducted in 25 areas (count circles) with 27 observers in the United States and Canada. Now, 123 years later, the Osa Peninsula Christmas Bird Count Circle is one of over 2200 Audubon Society count circles located in 20 countries in existence today.
How this works
The CBC is a one-day 24 hour event that occurs between December 14th and January 5th. Tens of thousands of volunteer citizen scientists head out, often before dawn, to count birds, and to be part of a long running tradition in avian conservation and science. Fortunately for us on the Osa, we don’t have to wear a big parka braving the cold!
Audubon has established official methodology for all observers to follow which helps to standardize information. The CBC covers a circular area with a 15 mile diameter and anybody within that circle can be a part of the count. All birds seen or heard are recorded along a pre-defined route or area. That’s it! You can even count birds that come to your feeders if you like. Of course there is a bit more to it, but that covers the basics. The data then goes into the Audubon Society database and Cornell’s eBird which is also available to the public.
***We hold our CBC counts on the third Saturday in December***
Our Audubon Circles
The Osa CROP (Costa Rica Osa Peninsula) circle covers much of the area outside of Corcovado National Park circling around Luna Lodge, Osa Conservation properties, El Remanso, Bosque del Cabo, Lapa Rios, Cabo Matapalo, Puerto Jimenez, Playa Sandalo, Bosque del Rio Tigre and Dos Brazos. You get the idea. This area is extremely important because it includes the biological corridor from Matapalo to the park as well as a sizeable portion of urban landscape to the east where following bird population trends become necessary.
The Osa CRCO (Costa Rica Corcovado) circle covers much of Corcovado National Park, the crown jewel of Costa Rica and the Osa Peninsula! This circle includes La Sirena and La Leona Ranger Stations as well as Rancho Quemado and La Tarde, bird hotspots like no other!
So how does the Christmas Bird Count help protect species and their habitats?
Data collected from volunteers is used by biologists and other interested parties to study the long-term health and status of bird populations throughout the Americas and to see how populations have changed over time and space over the last 100 years. Scientists have used CBC data to detect birds in decline from fragmentation and/or loss of habitat and effects on populations from climate change as well. We also look at our own data locally for species of conservation concern.
Osa CBC Participants
Osa Birds: Research and Conservation (compiler), Bosque del Rio Tigre, Osa Conservation, Luna Lodge, SINAC-ACOSA, Lapa Rios, Ave Azul, El Remanso, Everyday Adventures, Rancho Quemado, Surcos Tours, Osa Wild-ASCONA, Aventuras Tropicales Golfo Dulce, Fundacion Neotropica, Osa Safari, and Bosque Del Cabo.
Basic Protocols
Past Reports Osa Peninsula Circle
Audubon Count Summary Report 2012
Audubon Count Summary Report 2013
Audubon Count Summary Report 2014
Audubon Count Summary Report 2015
Audubon Count Summary Report 2016
Audubon Count Summary Report 2017
Audubon Count Summary Report 2018
Past Reports Corcovado National Park Circle
Audubon Count Summary Report 2013
The Corcovado Circle count was cancelled for the year 2016 due to Hurricane Otto.
Audubon Count Summary Report CRCO 2017
Osa Birds is the official organizer and compiler of the Osa CBC. We would like to thank all CBC participants who have made this count a true success year after year!
We report all bird observations for the peninsula to the Audubon Society database and eBird.
For more information, or if you’re interested in participating please contact karenleavelle/at/osabirds.org or pilarbernal/at/osabirds.org
