Seattle Audubon is hosting a Birdathon April 30 through May 15.

A birdathon is like a walk-a-thon, but instead of walking miles, you count bird species.

Seattle Audubon’s Birdathon is an annual tradition and an important fundraiser for the local nonprofit. Participants gather pledges and donations from friends, family and coworkers in support of Seattle Audubon’s mission for birds and their habitats.

On a single day – the Big Day — within the birdathon window (April 30 through May 15), participants do their species count. The goal is to identify as many species as you can, while having fun at the same time… and knowing that you are helping to raise funds on behalf of birds.

One of last year’s participants said of his Big Day — “We saw two Anna’s Hummingbird chicks! Nearby, we saw a nesting Pied-billed Grebe and some Mallard ducklings. It was great to see the birds thriving.”

Seattle Audubon is offering participants the chance to win prizes, including T-shirts, sweaters, gift certificates, hummingbird feeders and more.

Some birdathon participants record their Big Day species counts on eBird, which contributes to science. While the birdathon is a fundraiser rather than a scientific-based activity, Seattle Audubon does run four community science projects each year, as well as supporting two National Audubon Science annual projects, the Christmas Bird Count and Climate Watch.

Check out the website for more information, helpful tips and the answers to frequently asked questions. Birdathon – Seattle Audubon Society