What is a Big Year?
A Big Year is a birder’s term for when you spend an entire year trying to see as many species of North American birds as possible. Throughout the year, you go to as many hot spots where birds are found in migration or in areas of high diversity to build as big a list of observations as possible. You begin on Jan. 1 and end on Dec. 31. The record is 745 species, but very few birders ever get above 600.
The rules for a Big Year are simple—all sightings must be of living, wild, unrestrained birds that are identified by voice or visually and that occur in North America, defined as all areas north of Mexico, including Canada, and waters up to 200 miles offshore (Bahamas, Hawaii, and Greenland are excluded).
One can read about a Big Year and the top competitive birders involved in one in the recent book ‘The Big Year’ (2004), by Mark Obmascik (Free Press, NY). This is a well written and fun read and the idea for my Big Year stems from reading this book, with one main difference. I was troubled by the descriptions of birders who surround birds in their habitat and force them out for observation, or use tapes and voice playbacks to bring a bird into the open. In the first case, the description of birders marching through a marsh in a wildlife refuge with noise makers to force a yellow rail into the open was especially bothersome. This type of birding causes undue stress to the species in question and I was surprised that the manager of the wildlife refuge apparently allowed the birders to disturb the rail in this manner. Tape and voice recording and playback also can be somewhat stressful to a bird. Thus, for these reasons I am defining my Big Year based only on natural observations—no birds will be forced from their habitats or put under any undue stress in hearing or observing them. In addition, I will not count species I observe near banding stations (e.g., counting a bird sighted after being released from banding or near a mist net) or species called out into the open using tapes or voice playback. In short, this will be a completely natural Big Year.
I don’t expect to see a huge number of species in my natural Big Year, but I am not out to produce a big list. This natural Big Year is meant more to promote the art of birdwatching and an appreciation for birds in their habitat, their natural behavior, and conservation.
How to sponsor me in my natural Big Year.
I also am offering sponsorship for my natural Big Year. All sponsors who wish to participate can pledge a certain amount per species that I see. The minimum pledge is $0.10 per species. So, if at the end of my Big Year I have 400 species on my list, then your pledge would total $40.00.
All funds raised in this effort will be used to support undergraduate education in ornithology, including field studies for studying birds, and avian conservation. I will not use any of these funds for my personal travel or research. Your funds will be sent to and deposited directly into my Ornithology Trust Fund. Best of all, deposits into this fund count as a tax-deductible donation to UNCW.
All sponsors will receive a weekly to monthly update, with photos, of my birding activities and lists of species observed throughout the year. Since my time will be limited for birding during specific parts of the year (I will still be teaching my classes and conducting my own research at UNCW), the frequency of the updates will vary accordingly. My six-year old son also will be involved in my Big Year and I will post his observations as well in the hopes that it will help stimulate other kids to participate in natural birding. I also will provide updates on how the funds that are raised here are spent.
So, on Jan. 1, 2008, I will begin my natural Big Year. Please join me as a sponsor by sending me an email with your pledge at: emslies at uncw.edu with Big Year Sponsor in the subject field. Thank you!