Great Wisconsin Birdathon 2026
April 15 - June 15 | Celebrating 15 years of raising critical funds for Wisconsin's birds!
$788Raised of $130,000
Go birding for a cause!
Help us reach our goal of $130,000 #ForTheBirds! Donations are accepted March 15 through June 30.
The Birdathon is celebrating its 15th anniversary! The Great Wisconsin Birdathon began in 2012 and since then has raised $1.2 million for bird protection in Wisconsin.
How it works
The Great Wisconsin Birdathon is Wisconsin’s largest fundraiser for bird conservation. It's like a walk-a-thon style fundraiser, but instead of logging miles, our participants are logging bird sightings! Each year, bird enthusiasts from across the state raise support and awareness for bird conservation by forming a team or donating to a team.
Birdathon teams can participate any day from April 15th to June 15th, and donations are accepted from March 15th to June 30th. Participation is free and all skill levels are welcome to join. 🦅
How, when, and where you bird is up to you. 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! Teams can bird anywhere in Wisconsin - a backyard, a local park, or a route to hit all their favorite birding hot spots. Both novice and expert birders can have fun and make a difference in protecting birds - the Birdathon is for everyone!
Donate #ForTheBirds
Online and check donations will be accepted from March 15 through June 30.
Donations go to the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin's 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 from 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 2025 priority projects that received funds from last year's Birdathon and see how far your donations go!
Donations
Every Dollar Makes a Difference
Connecticut Warblers
There is little known about this warbler due to its elusive behavior and remote habitat. Previous Birdathoners have funded projects that support awareness and research for this rapidly declining bird. Photo by Brian Collins
$25
Your donation goes to the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin's Bird Protection Fund, making a difference for Wisconsin's imperiled species like Connecticut warblers, whooping cranes, bobolinks, and more.
Donations are accepted online or via check from March 15 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.)
Be the first to hear chirps about the 2026 Great Wisconsin Birdathon!
Stay in our flock with Birdathon and NRF news by...
Following the Great Wisconsin Birdathon on Facebook
Signing up for the Foundation's monthly e-newsletter
Check out last year's successes!
Proceeds support high priority bird conservation projects through NRF's Bird Protection Fund. Our 2025 Birdathon teams made these projects possible!
A full 2025 Great Wisconsin Birdathon report can be viewed here:
Together, we spotted 283 bird species! 20+ teams spotted our Bird of the Year, the red-headed woodpecker. Our birders saw 39 special concern species, 11 threatened species, and 9 endangered species.
Questions? Give us a chirp!
You can reach our Donor Relations coordinator, Naomi Hadley, at WIBirdathon@WisConservation.org or by calling 608-409-3144. We're here to help your Birdathon take flight, so please reach out with any questions or for more information!
Be sure to follow the Great Wisconsin Birdathon on Facebook to stay in the loop and enjoy highlights from our season together!
Thank you to our 2026 Great Wisconsin Birdathon sponsors!
