Prior to the beginning of the first Christmas Bird Count in 1900, there had been a tradition of a Christmas hunt, the winner bringing in the most game, birds or mammals. As a reaction to that Frank Chapman of the recently formed Audubon Cub proposed a new tradition, a Christmas bird census, that would count birds rather than kill them.  That first year 27 counters held 25 counts, in various places across Canada and the U.S., including one in Toronto. 90 species were counted in total.  

Since then, between December 14 and January 5th each year, over 2000 counts are held with the help of tens of thousands of volunteers.  Counts are carried out on a single day within a 24 km diameter circle that remains the same from year to year. The results are an important tool used by conservation biologists monitoring the status of bird populations.

Here, in the Rainy River District, four counts have been organized, Atikokan ( Dave Elder, Coordinator), Fort Frances (Ika Milne), Morson (Michael Dawber), and Rainy River (Michael Dawber).  Other nearby counts are held in Kenora, Ear Falls, Eagle River, Dryden, Ignace, Nipigon and Thunder Bay, in Whiteshell Park in Manitoba, and across the border in Baudette