Our annual Bird-A-Thon

Saturday May 17, 2025

Our Bird-A-Thon is an annual event. It takes place at the height of spring migration. In a 24-hour period, we search for as many birds as possible. We start at 5:30 PM on Friday, May 16 and continue for 24 hours to 5:30 PM Saturday, May 17. We don’t bird through the night, though; only owls are active, and they can be found in the early morning hours as well as the middle of the night. Not only is it a good-natured competition but it is also a major fundraiser for the chapter.

The rain date is May 18. It just isn’t as much fun birding when you’re being rained on.

The Raven-Loonatics are the perennial favorites. The Bird Nerds are a recently organized team; they are looking for members. New teams are welcome; let us know if you want to organize your own. You may participate as an individual; you may watch in your own backyard. We meet for dinner (place TBD) and a compilation of all team and individual lists.

Another of our goals is to know how many species can be found in Westchester County in the middle of spring migration. Michael Bochnik organizes the Bird-A-Thon. If you want to participate, let him know: bochnikm@cs.com

There are several ways to financially contribute to this fundraiser.

  • First: you can donate a fixed amount.

  • Second: our Bird-A-Thonis like a walk-a-thon, bike-a-thon or any other “thon.” Rather than asking to pledge X amount of money per lap or mile, we ask you to pledge a certain amount for each bird species seen by all participants in the 24-hour period. The combined list for all participants should be from 90 to 125 species.

  • For example, you can pledge 50 cents per species of bird. If we all see 120 species your pledge will come to $60.00. If you want to stoke competition, you can support only one team’s list of species, e. g., pledge 50 cents for each species the Raven Loon-A-Tics see.

  • We will send out reminders after the Bird-A-Thon to let you know what your pledge amounts to.

Checks payable to the Hudson River Audubon Society. Mail to Hudson River Audubon Society, P O Box 616, Yonkers, NY 10703

You can also contribute a fixed amount through PayPal by clicking the button below

Photo credits: Frances Greenberg, Song Sparrow (top); David Boltz, Audubon Photography Awards Red-headed Woodpecker (left)