BIRDATHON REPORT 2023
More teams, more birds, and more funds raised for bird conservation!
hosted by the
The Connecticut warbler 2023 Bird of the Year
P H O T O
D A N B E H M
:
122,000+
raised for Wisconsin's birds!
HIGHLIGHTS
The Great Wisconsin Birdathon has shattered records once again, thanks to the support of our birders, donors, and sponsors. We soared past our $100,000 goal and raised $122,162 for the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin's Bird Protection Fund! Thank you to everyone who joined us to bird for a cause.
Enjoy these highlights from our 2023 season. We are blown away by the dedication of our state's birding community!
500+
72
274 birders across Wisconsin incredible teams bird species spotted
122,162 raised for bird conservation
$
- 2023 Birdathon participant
$
"I love birding, but more importantly, I love how the Birdathon brings people together."
Team Just Some Peeps by Ally Magnin
Our teams represented 29 counties this year!
A BIRDATHON FOR EVERYONE
72 amazing teams from all over Wisconsin joined this year's Birdathon, from classrooms and nonprofits, to friends and family, to Bird Cities and bird clubs.
Long-running teams returned, while 22 new teams started what is sure to become an annual tradition.
Top Fundraisers
1. Cutright's Old Coots $26,219
2. Lake Superior eBirders $10,024
3. River Raptors $6,570
4. The Motmot Crew $6,282
5. Finch Gang $4,869
Most Species Seen
1. WARBling Vireos: 208 species
2. Good Godwits: 203 species
3. MuirLand Merlins: 178 species
4. Lake Superior eBirders: 164 species
5. Driftless Birders: 158 species
Classroom Teams
Harvest Habitat Heroes, Deforest
Elementary School in Dane County
Lincoln 7th Grade, Lincoln Middle School in La Crosse County
Mr. Dargatz's Nature Kindergarten, Woodside Elementary School in Waukesha County
RBMS Science, River Bluff Middle School in Dane County
West High Whip-poor-wills, West High School in Dane County
Birder Spotlights
Clockwise from top center:
Troy Walters, NWLTurkeys
Laura Richter, Beak Brigade
Judy Schmelke, 3 Generation Birders
Natalie Miller, GLC Chickadees
Patricia McMurtrie, Gathering Warblers
Clare Carlson, Finch Gang
We encourage our teams to make the Birdathon their own, birding however and whenever works best for them during our 10-week event. Here's how some of our teams put their own spin on the Birdathon:
The Hudson Birdbrains joined for the first time this year and the duo birded from their yard throughout the entire season!
The Yellow-Blazed Sapsuckers rounded up Ice Age Trail Alliance staff to explore some of their favorite sections of the Ice Age Trail.
Team Yes We Pelican! gathered the Feminist Bird Club-Madison chapter with 70 birders joining five different field trips over an 18-hour big day!
KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR OUR BIRDS
Together, our 72 teams saw 274 bird species! That included 36 species considered Special Concern, 11 species considered Threatened, and 9 species considered Endangered in Wisconsin.
Some teams got lucky and spotted a Connecticut warbler, which was our Bird Of The Year! We are grateful to Brooke Weiland Studios for creating another incredible design for this year's Birdathon gear (left).
Rare or Notable Birds Seen Teams Who Found Our #BirdOfTheYear!
River Raptors
WARBling Vireos
West High Whippoor-wills
WI BHA Bird Nerds - 2023
Eared Grebe
Chuck-will's-widow Marbled Godwit
Laughing Gull
Blue Grosbeak
... and many more!
Birdathon participant
"The Birdathon has become a yearly tradition that we look forward to each spring."
Yellow-rumped warbler by Chad Kowalski of team Round Barn Birders
Semipalmated plover by Ryan Brady of team Lake Superior eBirders
Eastern bluebird by Jane Furchgott of team The Motmot Crew
GIVING BACK TO LOCAL BIRD CONSERVATION
Nonprofit organizations, Bird Cities, and bird clubs that participate in the Great Wisconsin Birdathon have the option to keep 50% of the funds they raise for their own organization while the rest goes to support NRF's Bird Protection Fund projects.
This year, we had 34 organizational teams that are collectively putting $26,842 back into local bird conservation and outreach programs across our state.
What are they up to? They're putting birding backpacks in libraries, building and installing nest boxes, funding bird tracking projects, putting binoculars in the hands of new birders, planting native plants, restoring habitat, and much more!
We're inspired by the incredible work these organizations do for Wisconsin's birds.
$26K+
tolocal organizations
Aldo Leopold Nature Center Owl or Nothing
Baraboo Range Preservation Assoc. Baraboo
Rangers
BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin The BIPOC Flock
Chippewa County Land Conservancy Chirp
Chasers
Elm Grove Bird City Birders of the Grove
Feminist Bird Club - Madison Chapter Yes We Pelican!
Friends of Owen Conservation Park Owen Park Owls
Gathering Waters Gathering Warblers
Glacial Lakes Conservancy GLC Chickadees
Holy Wisdom Monastery Wrens of Wisdom
Prairie
Madison Audubon House Un-Bound Wrens, Fair Meadowlarks, Reckless Wrens
Madison FUN Friends of Urban Nature Camp
Coots, Madison Festival Fliers, Pedaling
Paddling Prius Pewees
McFarland Library McFarland Bird Festival
MuirLand Bird Club MuirLand Merlins
North Lakeland Discovery Center Up North
Hammerheads
Northland College Chapter of The Wildlife
...Society Northland College Chapter of The Wildlife Society
Northwoods Land Trust NWLTurkeys
Pheasants Forever Funky Pheasants
Richland Center-Santa Teresa Sister City
...Project The Motmot Crew
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Schlitz
Audubon Screech Owls
Tropical Wings Lower Chippewa
Titmouseketeers, Tropical Wings
UW Madison Student Chapter of The Wildlife
...Society UW Madison Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society
UW-Stevens Point Student Chapter of The ...Wildlife Society UW-Stevens Point Student
Chapter of The Wildlife Society
Wisconsin Association for Environmental
...Education WAEE Wisconsin Birders
UW-Madison Arboretum WARBling Vireos
Wausau Bird Club Wausau Nutcrackers
WI Chapter Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
WI BHA Bird Nerds
Wisconsin Sharp-tailed Grouse Society
Wisconsin Sharp-tailed Grouse Society
Ice Age Trail Alliance Yellow-Blazed Sapsuckers
O r g a n i z a t i o a l T e a m s
Team Funky Pheasants, representing Pheasants Forever.
Photo by Britta Petersen
ANNOUNCING THIS YEAR'S BIRD PROTECTION FUND PROJECTS
The Great Wisconsin Birdathon participants raise funds for the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin's Bird Protection Fund, which funds Wisconsin's highest priority bird conservation needs. The following projects were selected by the advisory committee to receive this year's funds:
Advancing Bird Conservation within Wisconsin's Important Bird Area (IBA) System
Wisconsin Bird Conservation Partnership
Audubon Conservation Ranching Audubon Great Lakes
Bird Conservation for All BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin
Change is Hard: Making Bird-friendly Actions Easy in Lakeside Communities
Lake Michigan Bird Observatory
Grassland Expansion at Mounds View Grassland Preserve The Prairie Enthusiasts
Lincoln Creek Habitat Research and Restoration Nearby Nature
Long-term Bird Monitoring at Restoration Sites on the Oneida Nation Reservation
Northeast Wisconsin Audubon
Neotropical Flyways Project SELVA
Piping Plover Conservation Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Taking Action to Save Birds SOS Save Our Songbirds via Madison Audubon
Whooping Crane Reintroduction — International Crane Foundation
THANK YOU TO OUR 2023 BIRDATHON SPONSORS
