Track How Birds are Responding to a Changing Climate

Curious about how a changing climate is reshaping the natural world? Audubon’s Climate Watch community science program invites volunteers across the U.S. to help measure how birds are responding to shifting climate conditions. Since 2016, participants have collected valuable data on 12 target species—including bluebirds, nuthatches, towhees, goldfinches, and buntings—providing insight into how bird ranges are changing over time.

The Winter 2026 Climate Watch season runs January 15–February 15, and anyone with an interest in birds can take part. Volunteers conduct simple bird surveys following a standardized protocol, ground-truthing modeled predictions of how the changing climate is impacting bird populations. To prepare, sign up to join the Climate Watch Webinar on December 10 at 7 PM Eastern. This session will guide new and returning participants through survey methods and highlight the program's scientific findings.

Learn more at audubon.org/climatewatch

By observing birds in your area, you can help document how our climate is changing—one survey at a time!

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Preparing your gauge for colder weather as we move into the holiday season

It's mid-November, and several portions of the country have already seen snow. If not already, many others will see frost, freezes, and wintry precipitation beginning to show up in the weeks ahead. As you think about the seasons, keep in mind that water left in the inner cylinder will freeze and crack if left outside in prolonged subfreezing weather.  Also, the funnel prevents snow from falling into the gauge.

For those of you in colder parts of the country, the time has come — or will soon—bring the funnel and inner tube inside and catch frozen precipitation in the large outer cylinder. So, keep an eye on your temperatures and preserve your inner-gauge parts for another season.