The Greater Philadelphia Birdathon 2023

Mark your calendars and assemble your teams for the 2nd annual Greater Philadelphia Birdathon! This 24-hour, friendly birding competition will take place from 5pm on May 5^th to 5pm on May 6^th. Whether you’ve been birding for decades or just started noticing the birds in your backyard, all skill levels are welcome to participate, because this event is all about one thing: celebrating and supporting bird populations, together.

Teams will help raise funds for any non-profit conservation organization, birding organization, Birdtown, or specific project of their choosing that seeks to do any or all of the following:

• Protect birds and their habitat,
• Make our communities bird friendly,
• Make birding more accessible and inclusive for all.

Birds are facing significant challenges – from habitat loss and climate change, to decreasing food availability and increasingly difficult migrations. They need us (all of us) to care about them before it’s too late. This event will help raise funds for the people who are working to support bird populations and those who seek to make birding something that everyone can enjoy.

How it Works

• Gather at least 1 teammate and as many as 10 (if you’re the one putting together a team, that makes you the Team Captain!).
• Come up with a team name, which can be anything you want.
• Pick your competition category.
• Choose a non-profit conservation or birding club/organization, Birdtown, or project, for which your team will raise funds.
• Make sure all teammates register under the same name, in the same category, and ideally before April 28th.
• Plan where your team will bird, which can be anywhere within Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, Chester, and/or Philadelphia Counties.
• Go birding! Identify as many species as possible during the competition period.
• Submit your checklist before 5pm on May 6th.
• Celebrate with fellow birders at the After(birding) Party at 6pm!

Your registration fees will cover Wyncote Audubon’s event expenses, including the costs of an event sticker and refreshments for the Swap Meet and After(birding) Party.

More details below!

Categories

• Traveling – Count all birds identified by sight or sound within Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, Chester, and/or Philadelphia Counties and during the 24-hour count period.
• • $20 registration fee per individual.
  • 2-10 Team members.
  • Teams may travel to multiple sites within any of the above listed counties.
  • All birds must be seen/heard by two team members to be confirmed and listed.
  • We are using the honor system – teams are trusted to only list birds seen during the 24-hour period and within the boundaries of the competition.

• Big Sit – Count all birds identified by sight or sound from a single spot (30-foot diameter circle) within Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, Chester, or Philadelphia County for up to 4 hours.
• • $20 registration fee per individual.
  • 2-10 members per team.
  • The count can take place any time during the 24-hour period, and does not have to be done all at once. For example, a team may bird for 2 hours, take a break, and then bird for 2 more hours, rather than a straight 4. The same 30-foot circle must be used, however.
  • Teams should use the 30-feet diameter circle as a guide to help them stay in the same place – it does not have to be marked out. Once you pick your spot, don’t move your chair!
  • We are using the honor system – teams are trusted to only list birds seen during the 4 hours reported on the checklist, not anything observed the rest of the 24-hour period.
  • All birds must be seen/heard by two team members to be confirmed, so while team members can leave the circle at any time, it’s a good idea to have two people stay within the circle during any counting hours.
  • Team members can also leave the circle to get a better look/listen at a particular bird, but once out of the circle, no new species observed can be listed, unless they are visible/audible from back within the circle, or if a team mate still within the circle can hear/see them from the circle.

• Backyard Sit – Count all birds seen or heard from a single residence. Same as above rules for Big Sit, except:
• • $30 registration fee per residence.

• Counting is not limited to a maximum of 4 hours and can be done throughout the 24-hour period.
• “Backyard” constitutes the area surrounding a residence (house, apartment etc.).
• Only birds seen/heard from within the boundaries of the “yard” (which includes the front, back, and sides of property) or from inside the residence may be counted.

• 18 & Under – NEW in 2023! All team members must be 18 or younger. Teams may choose between Traveling, Big Sit, or Backyard Sit categories.
• • $10 registration fee per individual.
  • 2-10 Team members.
  • Teams may travel to multiple sites within the any and all of the counties listed above.
  • All birds must be seen/heard by two team members to be confirmed and listed.
  • Adults are allowed to travel with and support the team, but cannot point out birds or identify species.
  • We are using the honor system – teams are trusted to only list birds seen during the 24-hour period and within the boundaries of the competition.

Fundraising Partners