World Series of Birding Rules and Information

Read the Rules, including the overall event rules and the rules specific to your Level and category or division. You’ll need to choose your approach from the many ways to play!

1. Level I: Bird Conservation Challenge: For adults 18 and over on teams competing in one of six categories AND for teams raising money for bird conservation organizations other than NJ Audubon. $100 per team member plus brunch and/or t-shirt.
a. Boundless Birding (aka. Full state of New Jersey)
b. Limited Geographic Area (focus on one county in New Jersey using pars established by experts for each county)
c. Cape May County Only (not included in LGA above)
d. Cape Island Cup
e. Carbon Footprint Cup
f. Big Stay

2. Level II: New Jersey Audubon Ambassadors: For teams of all ages who want to gather for a great day of birding at the peak of spring migration and raise money for New Jersey Audubon’s bird conservation efforts. No fees except ordering brunch and/or t-shirt, which can be purchased during registration. And yes, you must register!

3. Level III: Zeiss Youth Birding Challenge: For teams grades 1 – 12 who want to compete with youth in their own age bracket. $20 per team member plus brunch and/or t-shirt, which can be purchased during registration.
a. Division 1, Grades 1 – 5
b. Division 2, Grades 6 – 8
c. Division 3, Grades 9 – 12
d. Division 4, Carbon Free Kids, Grades 6 – 12

Ask friends, family, co-workers, bird club members, or other people in your community to join your team. Assign a Team Captain to create your team and team fundraising page.
That person is the first to register for the team.

• Important note for WSB Teams raising money for bird conservation other than NJ Audubon. While registering you must choose Level I and a Category within Level I. You must also select “Other Organization” in the drop-down menu under Fundraising. By doing so, your team page will not include the option to Donate, and it will not include a thermometer indicating donations. NJ Audubon does not collect donations and redirect them. Instead, you can and should include instructions about how to donate to your cause and a link to make online donations to your organization on your team page.
• Next, Team Captains will receive a confirmation email that includes a link specific to the team. The Captain must forward the team-specific link to teammates so each team member can register, purchase brunch and/or t-shirts, and create their individual fundraising pages.
• Please note, you cannot join your team by visiting the team page. You can only join a team if you have received the team-specific link from the Team Captain.
• Also note, you can order a brunch ticket or t-shirt during the registration process. Even if you have no entry fees, please pay for your brunch tickets and t-shirts when you order them, unless they are being paid for by another organization.
• Friends and family who are not registering but wish to purchase brunch ticket by clicking on the BRUNCH TICKETS button under ACTIONS.
• You will receive an email confirmation for each and every registration and order. If you don’t see it, please check your junk/spam folder.
• Now is also a great time to set up your team’s 2024 WSB Trip Report on eBird and send the six-digit code at the end of the link to your Trip Report to WSB organizers at [email protected].

Have fun creating your Team and individual fundraising pages! Individual fundraising pages are only available to those raising money for NJ Audubon. Remember, NJ Audubon will be promoting the World Series of Birding and anyone can see your team page and your cause and choose to support your efforts!

• Start your team and individual fundraising campaigns! Get on the socials. Use #WSB2024 so friends and family can follow the action.

• Check out the Fundraising Guide here!

Time for scouting and making sure your WSB Trip Report on eBird has all the contributors your team needs. Don’t forget to send the six-digit code at the end of your team’s Trip Report link to [email protected].

• Scout and strategize. During the week before May 11th, scout for species and strategize about your day. Some teams plan their stops to the MINUTE. Others plan a route and find what they can along the way. Still others keep an eye on the social media and group chats and try to mix in new sightings, too!

• SHARE your reliable species during scouting week! WSB organizers will set up a GroupMe chat for WSB sharing. Please participate!

Rest up on May 10th and then on May 11th, go birding! Use eBird to keep track of your ID’s and continue sharing! Let the organizers know when your checklist is complete by emailing [email protected], by midnight, please! Then, make your way safely to your destination for a great night’s sleep!