Migration Magic 2024 Birdathon Rules

Migration Magic 2024 Birdathon Rules

To the hundreds of people across Connecticut who contributed and participated, a sincere thank you!

See all the Birdathon winners and participants on this page.

Dates: May 1-31, 2024

Contribute to bird conservation by making a donation to the Migration Magic Birdathon. Click here!

The Migration Magic Birdathon is a friendly competition to see or hear as many species of birds as possible in Connecticut (and a small, specific part of New York) during May 2024.

You can participate for as many days as you want — there’s no minimum or maximum, as long as you’re birding in May.
All ages and skill levels are welcome. If you see or hear 50 or more species throughout the month and submit them on an eBird trip report, and also raise or contribute $50 or more, you’ll be entered in a random drawing for this year’s Grand Prize. Your $10 Birdathon entry fee will be counted toward the $50.
Look for birds anytime during May 2024, anywhere in Connecticut or in the section of Deer Pond Farm that’s in New York.
Every bird you identify by sight or sound during May counts, as long as you submit an eBird checklist.

You can also participate with a group of friends or family, although all Birdathon participants will submit individual eBird checklists.

A great way to participate is to go on one of the dozens of bird walks we’ve scheduled. They’re in all parts of the state, from May 1 through May 31, and are led by expert birders. You can find the schedule here.

Register for the Birdathon anytime before May 31, but the earlier the better.

Use eBird

Submit checklists via eBird throughout the month. Final checklists must be submitted by midnight, Wednesday, June 5.
By clicking this link, you can either create an eBird account or log in if you already have an account.
Then simply accept the invitation for the “Migration Magic Trip.”
Once you accept the trip invitation, all checklists that you created during May will automatically be added to the Migration Magic tally.
You can use a computer or the eBird app on your phone to submit checklists.

The Merlin bird identification app is a great tool. But if you use the Merlin’s sound ID, it should not be the only means of identifying birds. Merlin will often detect birds that the user doesn’t detect, and it sometimes misidentifies birds. Make every effort to see or hear the birds the app identifies.

Birds of Connecticut
Refer to this official checklist. If you see or hear a bird not on the list, or that’s listed in italics, it must be confirmed by a judge by photo or recording.

All sightings must occur in Connecticut, with one exception: The section of Deer Pond Farm in New York, although you must be on the property when you make your observation.

Prizes

Grand Prize: The Grand Prize winner will be chosen at random from among Birdathon participants. To be entered in the drawing, sign up for the Birdathon. If you identify at least 50 species during May (and submit your eBird checklists), AND raise or contribute at least $50, you’ll be entered in the drawing for the year’s grand prize —xxxxx. Your $10 entry fee will be counted toward the $50.

Prizes will also be awarded for:

Most species seen during May — adult participant. First place and second place.
Most species seen during May — young birder (17 years and younger).
Most money raised by a Birdathon participant.

Photo Contest (see the Photo Contest page for rules and details)

Best Photo Taken during the Birdathon by an Adult (in previous years we included second place and honorable mention).
Best Photo Taken during the Birdathon by a Young Birder (17 years or under)

Prize Eligibility

Photo Contest participants must be registered for the Birdathon.
“Young Birders” must be 17 years of age or younger to qualify.
All photographs must be taken in Connecticut during May, with one exception: The section of Deer Pond Farm in New York, although you must be on the Deer Pond Farm property at all times.
Best photo must not be Photoshopped or use AI-generated objects, except for those designed for noise reduction or sharpening.
Allowed edits include cropping, exposure, minor color correction, and noise reduction software.
Composite images are not allowed.
Original image must be available if requested.
Photos must be submitted without the photographer’s name on the image itself.
Participants may submit up to 3 images.
Photos must be taken from May 1 through May 31, 2024, and submitted by Friday, June 7 to migrationmagic@ctaudubon.org. Please include the date the photo was taken and the location in your email.