This year marks the 10th anniversary of Audubon’s Climate Watch program—a powerful example of how community science can inform conservation action in a changing world. Since 2016, volunteers across the country have contributed tens of thousands of bird observations that help track the real-time responses of birds to climate change. Each bird species has preferred climatic environments, and with climate change, the locations of those suitable environments are shifting over time. Data collected through Climate Watch is not only improving our understanding of where species ranges are shifting, but also helping us test and refine the predictions in Audubon’s Survival by Degrees 2019 climate report.
And Audubon couldn’t have done it without a flock of dedicated community scientists.
Thanks to the dedication of Climate Watch volunteers, Audubon has been able to monitor 12 target species, such as the Mountain Bluebird, Eastern Towhee, and Painted Bunting across their ranges including where their ranges are expected to shift. Volunteer observations help reveal whether these species are holding steady, expanding, or disappearing from certain regions. This information is essential to shape conservation plans, influence policy, and guide land management decisions to protect birds where they need us most.
Previous peer reviewed research found that climate change is causing six species of bluebirds and nuthatches to shift their ranges during breeding and non-breeding seasons, thus validating the accuracy of Audubon’s climate projections and highlighting the importance of community science. Since then, Climate Watch has grown to include five more target species in 2019 – the goldfinches, towhees, and bunting – to expand our coverage across the country and particularly in urban areas, where these species are often observed.
“Climate Watch was conceived back in 2016 as a way for us to better understand how birds were shifting with climate change in real time, and how well these shifts aligned with our model predictions. This requires information at scale and we needed dedicated volunteers coordinated across the country, collecting data at many locations. The programs growth over time has allowed us to start answering such a question and gives us a deeper understanding of how climate change affects birds in North America,” says Dr. Brooke Bateman, Audubon’s senior director of climate and community science.
Here’s what we’ve accomplished together in the last decade:
Based on Climate Watch Results from the first decade of the program, we’ve discovered which target species are well-observed and where we need more surveys:
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Since Climate Watch started targeting bluebirds in 2016, it is not surprising that the Eastern Bluebird has the greatest number of total counts, reaching almost 25,000 birds observed!
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Despite being a target species since 2017, the Pygmy Nuthatch – which was not included in the 2020 publication due to too few detections – still has the fewest observations across all 12 target species, in part due to their fairly restricted range.
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The Painted Bunting has seen rapid growth in the number of counts since being added to the target species list, with only 87 counts in 2019 to 504 in 2024! However, we still need more Painted Bunting surveys!
Even though the program focuses on 12 target species, observers are recording non-target species as well. And there’s some interesting discoveries from those data, including:
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Although not surprising given their expansive range and flocking behavior, the Canada Goose has the greatest number of total counts, with over 77,000 birds observed.
Continued participation in Climate Watch is more important than ever. Climate change remains the biggest threat to North American birds, and ongoing monitoring is key to knowing how and where to act. With each survey, we get a clearer picture of the future—and more tools to protect it.
“What makes this program truly special is how it transforms everyday bird observations into powerful data that directly informs our conservation work,” explains Dr. Ben Haywood, Audubon’s director of community science. “This community-powered approach not only advances our scientific understanding but also creates meaningful connections between people and birds across the country. As we look to the next ten years, these connections will be more important than ever in building climate resilience for birds and communities alike.”
How You Can Help
If you’re already a Climate Watch participant—thank you! Your data is making a difference. If you are interested in joining the program, getting started is easy. Explore our recent Climate Watch for Beginners webinar and:
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Find out if there is a Climate Watch Coordinator near you! If so, they can help with planning out your surveys locally. If not, you can still participate on your own!
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Select a target species from our Climate Watch species list that occurs near you: Eastern Bluebird, Mountain Bluebird, Western Bluebird, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Pygmy Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Goldfinch, Lesser Goldfinch, Eastern Towhee, Spotted Towhee, and Painted Bunting.
Whether you’re an experienced birder or just stretching your wings, Climate Watch is a rewarding way to connect with birds, nature, and a nationwide community of people working for a better future where birds thrive.
The program continues to attract new volunteers who find meaning in contributing to conservation science. Carrie Wild from Indiana shares her experience:
“I participated in the Spring 2024 Climate Watch. It was my first time volunteering with this project, and I found both it and the people I met to be really interesting. I’m a professional artist who paints a lot of birds, and over the past few years have begun to join more birding activities with my local Audubon chapter. During Climate Watch, spotting lots of other species was a bonus, including a Common Yellowthroat, which I had never seen before. Conservation is really important to me, and being able to help with this project made me feel like I was contributing in a concrete way.”
Wild’s story exemplifies how Climate Watch connects people’s passions—whether art, birding, or conservation—with meaningful scientific contribution. Her experience, from discovering new species to feeling the satisfaction of concrete action, captures the essence of what makes this program special.
“We are always looking for ways to improve the program for our volunteers,” says Cooper Farr, Audubon’s manager of community science. “We want Climate Watch to be a fulfilling and enjoyable experience for everyone who joins.”
Here’s to the next decade of watching birds—and watching out for them. Flock with us!
