Registration Begins for DNR Annual Youth Birding Competition

Georgia’s popular Youth Birding Competition returns for its 18th year with more experience – and enthusiasm – than ever.

The annual birdathon held by the state Department of Natural Resources and partners is set for April 12-20, with an awards ceremony and banquet the last evening at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center near Mansfield.

Teams of kindergarteners through high schoolers will pick a 24-hour stretch during the nine-day span and compete by age group to find the most birds statewide before 5 p.m. on April 20.

The 2024 competition will again include the contest-ending in-person banquet for all teams at Charlie Elliott’s conference center, about an hour east of Atlanta.

“While we make slight changes each year, this event remains focused on introducing kids to the thrill of the natural world, where they hone their skills by planning a route and finding, identifying, and tallying birds in a fun competition with others their age,” said Keyes, a DNR wildlife biologist who started the competition. “The banquet is a great way to meet other young birders and make connections that can last a lifetime.”

The event is free and birding expertise is not required. Mentors will be available to help beginning teams.

There is also a companion T-shirt Art Contest (https://georgiawildlife.com/YBCTshirtArtContest). The deadline to submit art contest entries was Feb. 1.

Sponsors of the Youth Birding Competition include The Environmental Resources Network or TERN – the friends group of DNR’s Wildlife Conservation Section – Georgia Ornithological Society and the Georgia and Albany Audubon Societies.

You can register online at https://georgiawildlife.com/ybc. The deadline to register is March 31.