Birdathon 2024
Welcome to Birdathon 2024!
Though we do not have a coordinator this year (please contact us if you are interested!!), we are committed to raising monies for our scholarship fund, which supports high school seniors who will be pursuing environmental studies. Birdathon is the only fund raiser for this fund, which is important, as these recipients are our future voice for birds and the environment.
Thank you for caring and we hope you will embrace this new look for Birdathon 2024!
Our 2023 Birdathon Species List is at this location, along with the last nine Birdathon results. In 2023, 155 species were identified. Our most recent ten-year average is 152 species.
What is the Birdathon?
An important annual fundraiser that supports our mission to connect people to nature through community education and conservation.
Modeled on Global Big Day (Global Big Day - eBird), it is an important annual fundraiser that supports our mission to connect people to nature through community education and conservation.
A friendly competition similar to a walk-a-thon, but instead of getting a pledge per mile walked, you can pledge for each bird species identified.
Our major fund raiser for the Scholarship Fund, providing scholarships for high school seniors going into environmental studies.
A way to document what species are seen on Whidbey during this seasonal migration window.
How does it work?
Participants collect pledges from family, friends, work colleagues, and others who want to support birds. Then in early May, during peak bird migration, your team goes out and counts and records as many species as they can identify in a 24-hour period, anywhere on Whidbey Island and immediately surrounding waters.
We invite you to get outdoors and share in the fun, while supporting birds and the habitats they need to thrive.
How can you participate?
You don’t have to be an expert birder to take part in Birdathon!
You can make a pledge per species or one-time donation on behalf of an existing team.
At the push of a virtual button, you can make a difference for birds while supporting the team or teams of your choice! Meet our current teams and make a donation or pledge.
Shore Thing during their Big Day
Photo by Louie Shellenberger
You can form a team, solicit donations, and see how many species you can identify.
Form a Traditional Team, with multiple team members.
This is really pretty easy! Team participants collect pledges from family, friends, work colleagues, and others who want to support birds. Then in early May, during peak bird migration, your team goes out and counts and records as many species as they can identify in a 24 hour period, anywhere on Whidbey Island and immediately surrounding waters.
You can go Solo Birdathon!
It’s always important to be safe while birding, and birding with family or a friend is encouraged. But you are welcome to bird alone, whether in your own backyard, neighborhood or throughout Whidbey Island.
You can do Backyard Birding:
Maybe you just want to see what birds come to your backyard space. Either by yourself or with your team, write down all species that come to your feeder or yard.
If you decide to do one of the three birding methods above, please submit your registration as soon as you are able so it can be included on our website, and people will be able to pledge to your team. Register your team.
And visit our Instructions for Teams page for everything you need to get going. Meet our current teams.
You can make a one-time donation without specifying a team:
Timeline for Birdathon
The 2021 “Golden Binoculars” award for the most species identified is presented to Martha and Steve Ellis by Cathi Bower.
In March and April, new and current teams inform the Birdathon Coordinator that they will be participating in the upcoming Birdathon. Team members gather pledges from friends, family, businesses, co-workers, (whomever they can), recording pertinent information on pledge tracking sheets. Be sure to indicate if the donor wants their donation to go to the General Fund or the Scholarship Fund.
In early May, each team chooses a 24-hour period of time to go around Whidbey Island with binoculars and scopes, counting and recording all the species of birds they see or hear. Each team will submit a list of the birds they spotted to our Birdathon coordinator.
After their Big Day, teams collect pledges from their sponsors by having them go onto the team page and paying the total owed. If the team collects checks or cash, they mail them into the WAS treasurer at treasurer@whidbeyaudubonsociety.org.
Sarah Schmidt holding the BOB Award for “Winging It”; her team brought in the highest donation total for Birdathon 2021.
When all the numbers are in, the team that spotted the most species will be awarded the coveted Golden Binoculars Award. The team that brings in the most money will receive the Bronze Owl Bank (BOB).
This annual Aududon fundraiser is a huge success because of people like you who care about birds and about protecting our natural environment. No matter how you choose to participate, we thank you for being proactive, and for all your support!!
Thank you for caring and we hope you will embrace this new look for Birdathon 2024!
Birdathon species results for 2013-2022 are available here.