This Is For The Birds

Owatonna's 47th Christmas Bird Count will take place Saturday, December 15. Our count area covers a 15 mile diameter circle with Havana as the center point. This includes Owatonna, Claremont, Clinton Falls and Steele Center.

Those venturing into the fields to count birds will start around 7:45AM and count till 11:30AM. After a break you'll head back out for more counting should you choose. You can also help by counting the birds at your bird feeders. Make sure you count just the largest number of one species of bird that you see at your feeder at any one time. This will cut down the odds of counting the same bird more than once.

The purpose of the count is to document overall population increases and decreases of species of birds. There are 68 count areas in Minnesota. Last year a record 99 counters helped out.

You can learn more on Wednesday, December 12 as Darryl Hill of the Bird Count will be on AM 1390's Talk of the Town at 9:40AM. You may also call him at 507-451-5073.