Tips for Birdathon Day

Introduction

Each team approaches the Birdathon in its own distinctive way, and that’s one of the things that maks the Birdathon so much fun. But some things are common to all Birdathons. The hints listed here may help you avoid some mistakes other teams have made in the past. (Yes, there really was a team that birded all day without a field guide!)

Remember the Primary Goals

  • Raise money to help birds, people and nature
  • Join together with your birdathon teammates and sponsors
  • Witness the spectacle of spring migration
  • Have a great experience

Logistics

  • To ensure all members meet at the rendezvous, exchange cell phone numbers in advance or have a phone calling plan.
  • Have a good map with all potential areas located on it. A GPS may be handy also.

What to Bring

  • Alarm Clocks (birders on 24 hour birdathons may need some help waking up from a short nap!)
  • Optics (including scopes for waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds)
  • MP3 or CD player to practice and study calls
  • Books, such as field guides
  • Plenty of food and water
  • A hat , rain gear, sunscreen and bug repellant
  • Checklist of Ohio Birds

Finding More Birds

  • To see the greatest number of species, keep moving! Work an area thoroughly, then move on-do not get stuck in any one habitat too long.
  • To maximize the number of birds for fundraising success, always try to seek the greatest potential in choosing where to go. Be at the best places at the best times for the birds.
  • Stay with a proven plan: habitat diversity = species diversity. Make sure that all possible habitat types are explored.
  • Do not overlook or assume common species-pursue them! Many a birdathoner has come home without a Rock Dove on their list.
  • Monitor current migration data via personal contacts and internet. Location selection and order are contingent on current weather and migration data: many teams travel north to south, but you may need to adjust this based on current data.
  • Keep a runny tally throughout the day of each major group, along with individual species, in order to ensure maximum coverage (waterfowl, waders, rails, bitterns, shorebirds, gallinaceous, gulls, terns, owls, woodpeckers, swallows, thrushes, vireos, warblers, blackbirds/allies, sparrows…)

Have Fun

We hope that you take your Birdathon seriously, but not too seriously! So work hard to see lots of birds and raise lots of money, but don’t forget to enjoy being out in nature, seeing the birds, and being with friends.