Projects Overview

Christmas Bird Count (CBC)

The Toronto Christmas Bird Count is part of the North American effort coordinated by the National Audubon Society and Bird Studies Canada. For the past several decades, the Toronto circle has been organized by the Toronto Ornithological Club.

Toronto was one of only 25 communities (including just two in Canada) to take part in the inaugural Christmas Bird Count season in 1900. On December 25 that year, Toronto's lone participant, E. Fannie Jones, observed 51 individuals of four species (15 American Crows, 10 Black-capped Chickadees, 1 White-breasted Nuthatch, 25 Golden-crowned Kinglets).

Since then, Toronto's Christmas Bird Counts continued sporadically through the early twentieth century, and have taken place annually since 1941.

Conservation

The protection of birds and habitat is a concern of the TOC, and we are actively involved in conservation issues. Club members are currently active in the following areas: The Carden Alvar, Cormorant Managment, Colonel Sam Smith Park, Lake Ontario Park (including the Leslie Street Spit), and Thickson's Woods.

Raptor Watch

The High Park Hawk Watch operates annually as a casual site on a volunteer drop-in basis from September 1st to approximately the end of November. Counters watch from Hawk Hill behind the Grenadier restaurant from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Days with a north wind component tend to be the most productive. Visitors and volunteers are always welcome throughout the fall.