The fashions have changed over the years, and the photography equipment has definitely gotten better, but for the 80th year, a dedicated group of Birmingham birders will take to the fields Monday to participate in one of the largest and oldest citizen science initiatives around.

Members of Birmingham Audubon will participate in the National Audubon Society's annual Christmas Bird Count on Monday, splitting the greater Birmingham area into 12 zones, with a team leader in each to compile the data and report to the national body.

Nationwide, the Christmas Bird Count started in 1900, five years before several state-level groups coalesced to form the National Audubon Society. Now, the count involves hundreds of groups across North America between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5. Several other Alabama groups are participating in the count, or have already done so.

Birmingham Audubon's program director Andy Coleman said Birmingham began participating in the 1930s, but took a few years off during World War II. The count has taken place in the Magic City every year since 1946.

Coleman said in the early years of the count, many of Birmingham's most avid birders were employees of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company, or TCI. That included Thomas Imhof, a TCI chemist by trade, who found widespread recognition among the birding community and wrote the 1976 book "Alabama Birds."

This year, the survey will likely involve around 30 people scattered throughout the 12 set aside areas. Each participating group across North America will count the species, and the number of birds seen within a circular area 15 miles in diameter.

The nationwide results will be compiled by National Audubon Society and can provide valuable data about the range and relative abundance of species. Data from Christmas Bird Counts was key in Audubon Society's 2014 report on climate change and can be used by scientists working on any number of topics.

"Citizen science has really become important within the academic world," said Coleman, who earned a PhD in herpetology before shifting his focus to birds. "With depleted resources, a lot of times scientists have to depend on data collected by citizen scientists to answer some important questions.

"The Christmas Bird Count is one of the best long-term examples of that."

In addition to providing valuable data to scientists, Birmingham Audubon executive director Suzanne Langley said the Christmas Bird Count provides a valuable economic benefit to the area by attracting bird-watching tourists.

"People who are into bird-watching, knowing that they can predictably come to this location at this time and see certain species makes it much more attractive," Langley said. "It all begins with understanding what's in your backyard and when and how that's changed."

Those interested in participating in this year's Christmas Bird Count in Birmingham are advised to contact Birmingham Audubon, which also organizes a beginners bird walk in January for inexperienced birders who want to learn more.