A Bird-A-Thon team starting the day on the Delaware Bayshore.

During 11 years of competitive birding for the Delaware Bird-A-Thon, hundreds of birders have participated, thousands of people and companies have donated funds, more than $450,000 has been raised, and 1,914 acres of habitat has been protected! Sponsored by the Delaware Ornithological Society (DOS), this year’s Delaware Bird-A-Thon competition will raise important funding to expand the Mispillion Harbor Reserve to help ensure an expanded feeding area for tens of thousands migrating shorebirds that stopover on the Delaware Bayshore, a globally significant bird habitat.

The Delaware Bird-A-Thon is a fundraiser that birders can donate to directly, or sign up as many pledge sponsors as possible. Then, pick any single 24-hour period from May 4 through May 12, and join birders cross the state of Delaware to count as many species as possible, or go to your favorite birding site to tally birds with the goal of raising conservation funds!

Through an anonymous matching-fund grant of up to $100,000, the formidable goal of raising the necessary funds for the land acquisition is more possible. The success of the Delaware Bird-A-Thon fund-raiser will allow the Delaware Ornithological Society and The Conservation Fund to jointly purchase the property and incorporate it into the 74-acre Mispillion Harbor Reserve.

Bird-A-Thon prizes will be awarded in a variety of categories, including teams of adults, youths, and organizations; plus individual participants. There are also categories for carbon-free participation and a single-county birding challenge. Prizes for the top contestants will be awarded at the June Awards Ceremony and Picnic.

To learn more about the Delaware Bird-A-Thon, please see https://delawarebirdathon.com/