The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism is touting Christmas Bird Count traditions.

The department said Christmas Bird Count traditions provides a great way to spend time outdoors, learn about birds and enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded birders.

It said birders of all skill levels are welcome to the events, where groups will spend time canvassing established circular census areas, recording species and numbers of birds observed. Information recorded at events is entered into regional and national databases and can show population and migration trends. Some Christmas Bird Counts have been conducted for more than 100 years, and more than 2,000 events are conducted across the U.S. each year, so databases are extensive. There are usually more than 50 events conducted in Kansas each winter between Dec. 13 and January 9.

To learn more about Kansas Christmas Bird Count locations, go to the Kansas Ornithological Society’s (KOS) website, www.ksbirds.org.