The Birdathon is Back for 2023!
Birdathon Rules
- Birding time is 6 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday.
- Jackson County is the geographic area for our birdathon. Birds observed outside the county don’t count.
- Your team must bird as a group and can’t break into smaller groups to bird.
- Birds count if identified by sight or sound, but two people must confirm each bird.
- Bird song apps are allowed.
- Typically big days only have four member teams, but since this is a fundraiser and fun-raiser, we don’t have any limit on team size, but again you must bird together as one group.
- As this is a fundraiser, each team should try to secure pledges and is responsible for making sure the pledgees are informed of what they owe after the event and how to make payment.
Birdathon is…
a) a chance to celebrate Southern Oregon’s spring migration in the company of other birders
b) a competitive sport
c) an important fundraiser for the Rogue Valley Audubon Society
d) all of the above
Birdathon is back – May 12 & 13, 2023. The object of Birdathon is for sponsored teams to count as many species as possible within a 24-hour period in Jackson County. Teams can range widely or stick close to home, so long as they stay in the county.
In a nutshell, here’s how it works:
Form teams. Call your best birding buddies, or recruit a newbie. Most teams include two to five birders, although a single individual may also comprise a team.
Notify RVAS. Email Carol Mockridge that your team will be participating. Use email link below or call her at 360-829-7505.
Find sponsors. A person can sponsor your team with either a fixed donation or an amount per species your team sees.
Count species. The event officially begins on Friday, May 12 at 6 p.m. and ends 24 hours later, but you count species any time within that window.
Celebrate! Join the other teams at Jackson Creek Pizza, at 700 Biddle Rd., Medford, Saturday evening after 6 p.m. for tale-swapping, prizes and mild bragging.
Past Birdathon teams:
The Binosaurs, the Falcons, the Great Gray Owls, the Old World Warblers, the Outlaw Biker, the Professional Amateurs, the Wandering Tattlers, and the We Just Want to Have Fun! Collectively these teams raised over $2818 for RVAS in 2016, with the top fundraising team raising $1454! There were 185 total species seen or heard in the 24 hour period, with the Binosaurs being the winning team, coming in with 159 of those. The Great Grays were second with 152; and Falcons were third with 147 species. Other team totals were 109, 86, 81, 65, and 58.
FAQs
What if I’m not an experienced birder?
The fierce competition among the “hard-core” teams is legendary, but you need not be an elite birder to participate in Birdathon. In fact, your ability to find sponsors is just as important as your ability to identify warblers.
How do I find a team?
Give you friends a call and plan your route or call Carol Mockridge at 360-829-7505.
Can my family be a team?
Yes! We want to encourage kids and families to participate in Birdathon. And remember, you can choose any length of time, whether all day, half a day, or an hour.
I don’t want to get my boots muddy, but I’d still like to contribute.
Consider sponsoring a team or sending in a donation.
I still don’t get it.
Look for more details in upcoming issues of The Chat. If you have a burning question, feel free to contact Carol Mockridge.