World Series of Birding Begins May 14

CAPE MAY — In baseball, the season is just starting and the pennant race is wide open. But in the world of competitive birding, it’s already come down to the biggest game of the series.
On May 14, millions of birds and hundreds of bird watchers will take the field to see who can spot the most species of birds between midnight and midnight.
The playing field is the entire state of New Jersey, one of the most bird rich places in North America. For twenty-six years teams of birders from across North America and abroad have come here to test their skills.
“New Jersey is to birding what Augusta National is to golf,” says Pete Dunne, the founder of the event. One of the reasons the event was founded was to draw attention to New Jersey’s strategic, and overlooked, importance to birds.
“We’ve got a wealth of natural areas. We’re positioned right on the migratory mainline. In one compact and highly birdable state, teams can go from Canadian Zone forest to Carolina Coastal habitat and not even stop for gas.
Winning totals for the event often top 230 species.
“Only in Texas (and we all know how big Texas is) have more birds been seen by single team in one day,” says Dunne.
The total number of species recorded by all participants commonly exceeds 270. According to Dunne “that’s more than one third of all the bird species found in North America.”
Another reason over 100 teams compete in this event is for a share of the prize money. Not quite! There is no cash purse. Instead, team supporters pledge money on the number of species found by their favorite team. The money is used to support the bird conservation efforts of each team’s sponsoring organizations.
National organizations like the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and The Nature Conservancy. Regional organizations like the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club and Vermont’s North Branch Nature Center. Many teams also enjoy the sponsorship or co-sponsorship of major corporations connected to the birding market or who espouse a conservation ethic. Companies like Estee Lauder, Swarovski, ShopRite.
Some teams raise over $100,000 in their 24-hour effort. Since its inception nearly $9 million has been raised for conservation causes around the world.
“There are a lot of Golden-winged Warblers looking for nesting habitat and Red Knot searching for horseshoe crab eggs that owe a measure of thanks to this event,” says Dunne.
The event has grown since 13 teams first took up New Jersey Audubon’s challenge in 1984. Now there are multiple divisions, including a popular youth challenge as well as a senior challenge, and several different categories.
Teams can plan routes that cover the entire state; individual counties; even remain in a single, 17-foot circle and record birds without leaving that spot.
In 2007, a World Series team set a national single day record by recording 139 species from one fixed location.
There is even a “Carbon Footprint Cup” category sponsored by Swarovski Optik. All birding must be done using human powered means of transportation. Contestants can walk, run, bike, skate, row…
Anything that doesn’t require energy tied to fossil fuel.
The event is hosted by New Jersey Audubon. Established in 1897, NJ Audubon is one of the nation’s oldest and largest conservation organizations; independent of, and older than National Audubon.
Broadcasters and newscasters are invited to contact Sheila Lego to arrange interviews with participants, photo ops or for assistance covering the event.
The Awards Presentation and Brunch will be held at the Grand Hotel in Cape May on Sunday, May 15. Totals and winners will be available on-line in the wee hours of Sunday morning. For more information, visit www. worldseriesofbirding.org.
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