Christmas Bird Count

A report out from the United Health Foundation ranks Maryland 19th out of the 50 states in terms of overall health. We talk with a United medical officer about the report, and with Health Secretary Joshua Sharfstein about the challenges Maryland faces, in areas including obesity, infant mortality, and violent crime.

A popular American tradition before about 1900 was the Side Hunt. Hunters would traipse through the woods on Christmas day, shooting and killing whatever birds or other small animals they could find. They'd then haul everything back home to compare their kills. Bird populations suffered.