Great Wisconsin Birdathon 2022
April 15 - June 15 | Whoop, whoop! WE DID IT! 🎉 Thank you everyone for helping us bring birds back! #WIBirdathon
$117,052Raised of $100,000
Go birding for a cause!
When you join the Great Wisconsin Birdathon, you're participating in the largest fundraiser for bird conservation in Wisconsin. Since 2012, the Birdathon has raised over half a million dollars and engaged thousands of individuals in protecting our state's most threatened and endangered species. This year, we're proudly celebrating a decade of the Birdathon and we invite you to join us in raising another $100,000+ for our feathered friends!
Funds raised through the Great Wisconsin Birdathon go directly to the Natural Resources Foundation's Bird Protection Fund, which supports Wisconsin's highest priority bird conservation projects. Your birding will make a difference by supporting the protection of Piping Plovers, Kirtland's Warblers, Whooping Cranes, and so much more.
Are you ready to make your birds count?
View our 2022 teams
These Birdathon teams represent families, friends, bird clubs, Bird Cities, and organizations statewide who are showing up for Wisconsin's birds.
Can't find someone you're looking for? Use the search bar above!
How it works
The Great Wisconsin Birdathon engages individuals and communities to raise support and awareness for bird conservation in Wisconsin. Anyone can participate by donating to a team or forming a team to count birds. It's like a walk-a-thon style fundraiser, but instead of logging miles, our participants are logging bird sightings! 🦅
Birdathon teams can participate any day between April 15th to June 15th. While most teams choose to compete over a 24-hour period, many teams opt to bird over the course of a weekend, a week, or even the entirety of the Birdathon!
How, when, and where you bird is up to you. Whether you're backyard birding over the course of a week or planning a route to hit all your favorite hotspots in one day, it all counts! Participation is free and all skill levels are welcome to join! From beginning birders to seasoned scouters, the Great Wisconsin Birdathon is for everyone.
Donate #ForTheBirds
Online donations closed on June 15. Check donations will be accepted until June 30.
Donations go to our Bird Protection Fund. This fund provides critical support for high priority bird conservation projects that benefit Wisconsin's birds throughout their lifecycles. That means we can support birds on their breeding grounds here in Wisconsin, all the way to their migratory habitat in Central and South America!
Want to learn more? Read about the 2022 priority projects that received funds from this year's Birdathon and see how far your donations go!
Donations are accepted online (through June 15) or via check (through June 30). Check donations can be made payable to "Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin" and mailed to: Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, ATTN: Great Wisconsin Birdathon, 211 S Paterson St, Suite 100, Madison, WI 53703. (Please include the name of the team/individual you are supporting on the Memo line.)
Whooping Cranes
We "give a whoop!" when it comes to bringing cranes back! Our Birdathoners are helping fund the recovery of the Eastern Migratory Population of Whooping Cranes, from tracking crane pairs, to monitoring nests, to rearing chicks, and more! Photo by Bruce Bartel
$25
Your donation goes to our Bird Protection Fund, making a difference for Wisconsin's imperiled species, like Whooping Cranes, Kirtland's Warblers, Piping Plovers, and more.
Giving back to birds ... and communities!
Nonprofits, bird clubs, and Bird Cities that participate as teams in the Great Wisconsin Birdathon are eligible to keep 50% of the funds they raise. They're able to put their earnings back into local conservation, education, and outreach in their own communities. The other 50% goes to our Bird Protection Fund.
Learn more about this opportunity and if your team might qualify in our Organizational Team Guide.
Birdathon Resource Hub
Need some help? Utilize these handy resource guides to help make the most of your Birdathon.
- Getting Started Guide — Five easy steps and you're good to go. This is recommended reading if you're new to the Birdathon!
- Registration Help — Not sure how to make your team page? View our step-by-step instructions.
- 2022 Birdathon FAQ — Questions? We got you covered.
- Birdathon Inspiration Guide — Want to put a fun spin on your Birdathon day? Get some ideas here.
- Fundraising Guide — Tips and tools to make your fundraising easy, so you can spend more time birding.
- Organizational Team Guide — For participating nonprofits, bird clubs, and Bird Cities only.
- Tips for Classrooms — Discover simple ways to get your classroom involved in the Birdathon.
- Birdathon Species Checklist — Download a list of Wisconsin birds to take with you on your adventure!
Celebrate our #BirdOfTheYear with some gear!
We asked and you answered ... with a big whoop, whoop! We're excited to announce that the Whooping Crane was voted to be our 2022 #BirdOfTheYear!
This iconic species has received support from our Bird Protection Fund since 2011 and we love watching their population grow! Show your support of this species by purchasing a t-shirt or coffee mug from our Bonfire store.
Thanks to local artist Brooke Weiland of Brooke Weiland Studios for designing our 2022 design! Brooke is a Birdathoner herself and also designed our past Kirtland's Warbler and Piping Plover designs.
Donations
Questions? Give us a chirp!
You can reach our Birdathon coordinator, Caitlyn Schuchhardt, at WIBirdathon@WisConservation.org or by calling 608-409-3144. No question is too small. We're here to help your Birdathon take flight, so please reach out if you've got questions or need more information!
Be sure to follow the Great Wisconsin Birdathon on Facebook to stay in touch and enjoy highlights from our season together!
Thank you to our sponsors!
Business sponsorships help cover the behind-the-scenes costs of running the Birdathon, so your donation goes straight to on-the-ground bird conservation efforts. Know of a business that would like to be a sponsor? Email us at WIBirdathon@WisConservation.org.
