Photo: Greg Butcher
When: Thursday, March 30, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Where: Virtual
Fee: FREE!
Competitive birding is using one’s birding skills to try to identify the most bird species possible in a set period, such as over a year. For example, Tiffany Kersten saw 726 different species of birds in 2022, beating a previous record. The 2011 movie Big Year, featuring Jack Black, is a great depiction of three competitive birdwatchers on a year-long birding adventure.
Join us for a webinar with ornithologist Greg Butcher to learn some strategies of competitive birding right here in Northern Virginia. You will learn the best places to go to see the most species, how to time your big day to hit peak migration numbers, what to consider when forming your team, and more!
Also, we are excited to have youth birder Maxwell Julius join us to tell us about his experience doing Birdathon last year and his tips to maximize your list.
Enjoy your own birding adventure with friends right here in Northern Virginia by participating in Birdathon - a fundraiser and contest to see which team can identify the most birds in one day. Like a walk-a-thon, Birdathon participants collect pledges from friends and family via their team page on our website. Then participants record how many species they can identify during any 24-hour period between April 15 and May 21.
While Birdathon is traditionally a competitive birding event, we welcome everyone to participate. This is an opportunity to spend a whole day birding with friends and family while raising money for a good cause. There are many ways to enjoy birds & go birding. This year we are introducing new prizes so there are even more ways to enjoy Birdathon & win!
2023 Award Categories:
Most Species Counted
Most Species Counted by a New Team
Most Funds Raised
Widest Age Range on a Team
Backyard Bounty (most species counted on a single residential property)
Greg is the recently retired Migratory Species Coordinator for U.S. Forest Service International Programs. He is a Ph.D. ornithologist who has worked for the National Audubon Society, American Birding Association, Partners in Flight, Birders World magazine, and Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Greg is a recognized public speaker and interpreter for bird conservation and ecology worldwide. He welcomes the opportunity to contribute to Audubon's environmental mission at the local level.