Similar to a walkathon, Birdathon is Audubon's largest annual

fund raising event and the world's biggest bird-watching

competition! Every year, thousands of people nationwide join in to count birds, have fun, and raise vital funds for Audubon’s mission of environmental conservation, education, and advocacy. People count birds and collect pledges from sponsors based on the number of species they see in one day.

Birdathon is the way LHAS makes the money needed to support our mission to educate individuals and the general public, to enjoy and promote birding, to support ornithology, and to be an advocate for wild areas and environmental issues.

Loess Hills Audubon Society’s annual Birdathon for 2021 was held as scheduled from Friday May 7, through Monday May 10, 2021.

LHAC 2021 Birdathon Results                               May 7-10, 2021

The results of each of the teams who were in the field for the Chapter’s 2021 Birdathon have been submitted and compiled. All in all, 10 teams turned in their findings. The 8 teams searching seven local counties found a total of 150 species, while two additional teams birding farther afield in Nebraska, Iowa and Colorado found an additional 18 species for a grand total of 168 species. The Chapter thanks all 15 participants for their time and effort.

Highlights of the event were:

Eared Grebe                                       Western Grebe (CO)

Sora                                                    Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Piping Plover                                     Swainson’s Hawk

Sanderling                                          Broad-winged Hawk

Least Tern                                           Common Tern

Caspian Tern                                      Peregrine Falcon

Pileated Woodpecker                       Black-bellied Plover

Golden-winged Warbler                   Black-necked Stilt

N. Parula                                            Ruddy Turnstone (NE)

Blackburnian Warbler                       Black-billed Magpie (CO)                 

Louisiana Waterthrush                     Fish Crow (Saylorville Res., IA)

Summer Tanager                               Pine Warbler (IA)

White-winged Crossbill