Registration is open now through Monday, April 1, for the 28th Great Texas Birding Classic, described as the nation’s largest and longest birdwatching tournament, running from April 15 to May 15.
Participants in the statewide tournament document species of birds migrating through Texas during spring.
“Since the Classic started a lot has changed,” said Shelly Plante, nature tourism manager for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “The competition has expanded statewide to record participation and is no longer just for experts since the new categories appeal to budding naturalists and avid birders.”
Entrants can select from various categories to test their birding skills and can participate for as little as half a day up to the entire month. Participants may form a team and compete in categories such as the “Big Sit,” during which birders must remain within a 50-foot-diameter circle to count their birds.
Other categories include a sunrise-to-noon event, youth-only, a human-powered contest, and one tournament held entirely within Texas State Parks.
Registration fees and team sponsorships raise money for birding and habitat conservation, restoration, and enhancement grants, helping preserve critical bird habitats and supporting nature tourism. Last year, the tournament raised $47,000 for conservation grants.
To register online and learn more about the tournament, visit www.BirdingClassic.org.
The event is made possible by sponsorship and registration fees, donations from event sponsors Toyota and Texas Ornithological Society, and awards ceremony sponsor Audubon Texas.
