Find all the teams, individual birders, and support raised at the 2021 Birding Cup Hub.
Building a Global Birding Cup
Last year, we decided to forgo the typical competitive aspects of the Birding Cup in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In an effort to maintain strong social connections across the globe while maintaining connections to the natural world during a time of physical distancing, we virtually welcomed birders from all locations in what we thought would be a one-time event. Of course, we now know that wasn’t the case!
As we began planning this year’s Birding Cup, we knew we would carry over the new global aspect to Birding Cup out of both necessity and joy. Necessity, as we still find ourselves entrenched in a pandemic. And joy, as we are just constantly amazed at the response and reach of the Shaver’s Creek community. We are humbled by how quickly people from across the globe can come together to support conservation!
Since last year, several members of my team had moved around the country. We were excited to still be able to participate together as one team thanks to the global rules. The unique locations between us made some of our sights even more amazing, including a life bird in the form of a breathtaking Anna’s Hummingbird for one of our members!
The Results
All told, more than 130 birders, forming 32 teams, counted 290 unique species across 20 U.S. states and Guatemala. Whether these individuals were celebrating over two decades of participation or were picking up binoculars for the first time, everyone generously gave an entire day to raise money!
We were also thrilled to announce the reintroduction of three competitive categories for birders in our region: the Birding Boot, awarded to the team of three or more that identifies the most species, traveling only by non-motorized means; the Micro Cup, awarded to the 2-person team with the highest count within a mile diameter circle; and the Potter Mug, awarded to the team composed of members with less than two years of birding experience that has the highest count.
Whip-poor-wheels held on to the Birding Boot by identifying 97 species while traveling via non-motorized means. Congratulations, Whip-poor-wheels!
The Micro Cup went to the storied Feathered Body Inspectors with 104 species. These two birders were part of the 2017 Birding Boot–winning team of the same name, and they are now the second-ever team to win the Micro Cup. Great job!
The Potter Mug went to intrepid Delta Fly with a count of 70 species, securing the first Birding Cup trophy for any of its birders. Way to go, Delta Fly!
Team Delta Fly had a great time! [It] was a fun learning experience for me as a birder and adventure seeker.
Why We Bird
This year, we turned our attention to promoting public education of conservation and biodiversity. Proceeds from this year’s Birding Cup will help bring the Lost Bird Project to Shaver’s Creek and four partner sites in the Centre Region. With five bronze sculptures of the most recently extinct North American birds — the Carolina Parakeet, Heath Hen, Great Auk, Labrador Duck and Passenger Pigeon — the Lost Bird Project, along with new community programming, will serve as a dramatic reminder of the need for biodiversity and, hopefully, will encourage the practices we teach at Shaver’s Creek each and every day.
So far, we have raised almost $12,000 — thanks to everyone who has contributed! While the birding is over (for now), if you haven’t yet made your pledge, or if you were waiting to make a gift per bird, you can do so today. With your donation, you will help showcase the power of birds to connect people to people, and people to the natural world. Thank you!
Species List
Check out all 290 species below. Are some birds listed that you’ve never seen before? Thank our friends from across the globe!
- Acadian Flycatcher
- Acorn Woodpecker
- American Bittern
- American Black Duck
- American Coot
- American Crow
- American Goldfinch
- American Kestrel
- American Oystercatcher
- American Pipit
- American Redstart
- American Robin
- American Tree Sparrow
- American Woodcock
- Anhinga
- Anna’s Hummingbird
- Bachman’s Sparrow
- Bald Eagle
- Baltimore Oriole
- Bank Swallow
- Barn Swallow
- Barred Owl
- Bay-breasted Warbler
- Belted Kingfisher
- Black Oystercatcher
- Black Scoter
- Black Skimmer
- Black Turnstone
- Black Vulture
- Black-and-white Warbler
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Black-crowned Night-Heron
- Black-headed Grosbeak
- Black-necked Stilt
- Black-throated Blue Warbler
- Black-throated Gray Warbler
- Black-throated Green Warbler
- Blackburnian Warbler
- Blackpoll Warbler
- Blue Jay
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
- Blue-headed Vireo
- Blue-winged Teal
- Blue-winged Warbler
- Boat-tailed Grackle
- Bobolink
- Bonaparte’s Gull
- Brandt’s Cormorant
- Brant
- Broad-winged Hawk
- Brown Creeper
- Brown Pelican
- Brown Thrasher
- Brown-backed Solitaire
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Brown-headed Nuthatch
- Bufflehead
- Bullock’s Oriole
- California Gull
- Canada Goose
- Canada Warbler
- Cape May Warbler
- Carolina Chickadee
- Carolina Wren
- Caspian Tern
- Cassin’s Auklet
- Cassin’s Vireo
- Cattle Egret
- Cedar Waxwing
- Cerulean Warbler
- Chestnut-sided Warbler
- Chimney Swift
- Chipping Sparrow
- Chuck-will’s-widow
- Clapper Rail
- Cliff Swallow
- Common Eider
- Common Grackle
- Common Ground Dove
- Common Loon
- Common Merganser
- Common Murre
- Common Myna
- Common Nighthawk
- Common Raven
- Common Tern
- Common Yellowthroat
- Cooper’s Hawk
- Dark-eyed Junco
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Downy Woodpecker
- Dunlin
- Eastern Bluebird
- Eastern Kingbird
- Eastern Meadowlark
- Eastern Phoebe
- Eastern Screech-Owl
- Eastern Towhee
- Eastern Whip-poor-will
- Eastern Wood-Pewee
- Eurasian Collared-Dove
- European Starling
- Evening Grosbeak
- Field Sparrow
- Fish Crow
- Florida Scrub-Jay
- Forster’s Tern
- Fox Sparrow
- Gadwall
- Glossy Ibis
- Golden-crowned Kinglet
- Golden-crowned Sparrow
- Golden-winged Warbler
- Grasshopper Sparrow
- Gray Catbird
- Great Black-backed Gull
- Great Blue Heron
- Great Crested Flycatcher
- Great Egret
- Great Horned Owl
- Great-tailed Grackle
- Greater Scaup
- Greater White-fronted Goose
- Greater Yellowlegs
- Green Heron
- Green-winged Teal
- Gull-billed Tern
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Harlequin Duck
- Hermit Thrush
- Herring Gull
- Hooded Merganser
- Hooded Warbler
- Horned Lark
- House Finch
- House Sparrow
- House Wren
- Iceland Gull
- Indigo Bunting
- Kentucky Warbler
- Killdeer
- Laughing Gull
- Least Flycatcher
- Least Sandpiper
- Least Tern
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Lesser Yellowlegs
- Little Blue Heron
- Loggerhead Shrike
- Long-tailed Duck
- Louisiana Waterthrush
- Magnolia Warbler
- Mallard
- Marbled Godwit
- Marsh Wren
- Merlin
- Monk Parakeet
- Mountain Chickadee
- Mourning Dove
- Mute Swan
- Nashville Warbler
- Northern Bobwhite
- Northern Cardinal
- Northern Flicker
- Northern Gannet
- Northern Harrier
- Northern Mockingbird
- Northern Parula
- Northern Pintail
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow
- Northern Waterthrush
- Orchard Oriole
- Osprey
- Ovenbird
- Pacific Loon
- Pacific-slope Flycatcher
- Painted Bunting
- Palm Warbler
- Pelagic Cormorant
- Peregrine Falcon
- Pied-billed Grebe
- Pigeon Guillemot
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Pine Siskin
- Pine Warbler
- Pink-footed Shearwater
- Piping Plover
- Prairie Warbler
- Prothonotary Warbler
- Purple Finch
- Purple Martin
- Razorbill
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Red-breasted Merganser
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Red-breasted Sapsucker
- Red-eyed Vireo
- Red-headed Woodpecker
- Red-necked Grebe
- Red-necked Phalarope
- Red-shouldered Hawk
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Red-throated Loon
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Rhinoceros Auklet
- Ring-billed Gull
- Ring-necked Duck
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Rock Pigeon
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Roseate Spoonbill
- Royal Tern
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Ruddy Duck
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Ruffed Grouse
- Rufous Hummingbird
- Rufous-collared Robin
- Rusty Blackbird
- Saltmarsh Sparrow
- Sanderling
- Sandhill Crane
- Sandwich Tern
- Savannah Sparrow
- Scarlet Tanager
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
- Seaside Sparrow
- Semipalmated Plover
- Semipalmated Sandpiper
- Sharp-shinned Hawk
- Short-billed Dowitcher
- Snow Goose
- Snowy Egret
- Solitary Sandpiper
- Song Sparrow
- Sooty Grouse
- Sooty Shearwater
- Sora
- Spotted Sandpiper
- Spotted Towhee
- Steller’s Jay
- Summer Tanager
- Surf Scoter
- Swainson’s Thrush
- Swainson’s Warbler
- Swallow-tailed Kite
- Swamp Sparrow
- Tennessee Warbler
- Tree Swallow
- Tricolored Heron
- Tufted Puffin
- Tufted Titmouse
- Turkey Vulture
- Upland Sandpiper
- Veery
- Vesper Sparrow
- Violet-green Swallow
- Virginia Rail
- Wandering Tattler
- Warbling Vireo
- Western Gull
- Western Meadowlark
- Western Tanager
- Whimbrel
- White Ibis
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- White-crowned Sparrow
- White-eyed Vireo
- White-headed Woodpecker
- White-throated Sparrow
- White-throated Swift
- White-winged Dove
- White-winged Scoter
- Wild Turkey
- Willet
- Wilson’s Plover
- Wilson’s Snipe
- Wilson’s Warbler
- Winter Wren
- Wood Duck
- Wood Stork
- Wood Thrush
- Worm-eating Warbler
- Yellow Warbler
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo
- Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
- Yellow-throated Vireo
- Yellow-throated Warbler
