Bird-a-thon

Back by popular demand is the RAS annual Bird-a-thon. In the spring, teams of birders compete to see the most species in a single day, raising money for RAS via pledges and raising awareness of birds and birding. For 2025, we're introducing a points system that gives participants multiple ways to win.

How it works:

1. Join a team or start a new one.
2. Tell your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. about it. Ask if they'd be willing to make a flat donation or pledge a dollar amount per species your team observes on the big day. Donations can be submitted via PayPal. Remember any and all contributions are appreciated!
3. Choose a day in the spring (typically late April or early May, during the peak of migration) for your team to get together and bird. Give it your all and submit your observations to eBird. Don't forget to have a good time!
4. Share your efforts with RAS. Points will be awarded for dollars raised, species observed, and various bonuses, including for photographs, rare sightings, distances traveled, and other fun stuff.
5. Winners will be announced in the categories of total points earned, dollars raised, species observed, and bonus points earned. Results will be published in the Thrasher and posted to the RAS website and social media.

Here are some particulars:

• Your team must submit observations to eBird to earn credit for species and related bonus points. Your submissions will help scientists as well as fellow birders.
• Your team must bird together as a single group. Participants should remain within earshot of each other while birding. For a bird to be recorded, it need not be observed by every member of the team.
• Your team may choose any straight 24-hour period (it need not be within one calendar day) in the spring (March 21 through June 21 or thereabouts).
• Your team may bird anywhere by any means.

Bonuses: TBA