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DEC Announces Start of 2025 'I BIRD NY' Challenge
Published: March 02, 2025 at
06:00 p.m.
By: Press Release
from NYS DEC
DEC Announces 2025 'I BIRD NY' Challenge
Program Encourages New Yorkers to Enjoy Birding Close
to Home and on NYS Birding Trail
DEC Announces Addition of 14 Locations to NYS Birding
Trail
The New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the
March 1 start of the 2025 I BIRD NY Challenge for birders of all ages and
abilities. The challenge provides opportunities to identify and learn about
birds, and awards program finishers with a
commemorative I BIRD NY Challenge patch and a chance to win birding-related
prizes.
“No matter where
you live or where you come from, birdwatching is a fun, easy, and
affordable activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, abilities,
identities, and backgrounds,” DEC Interim Commissioner
Sean Mahar said. “Now with nearly 400 locations across New York
State, the NYS Birding Trail welcomes new and experienced birders to enjoy
both migrating and resident birds in a diverse variety of
habitats.”
New York State's
wide-ranging habitat types, from the Atlantic Ocean's sandy beaches to
majestic Catskill and Adirondack peaks, Great Lakes shorelines, and
everything in between, create a birder's paradise that supports more than
450 different bird species throughout the year.
New and
experienced birders can discover the thrill of birding with the NYS Birding Trail. This
unique network of birding hotspots across New York State offers endless
opportunities to connect with nature, whether marveling at owls in quiet
woodlands, tracking shorebirds along scenic coastlines, or catching
glimpses of majestic eagles along quiet rivers. The trail continues to
expand with new locations added regularly through a nomination and vetting
process.
DEC also
announced the addition of 14 new locations to the NYS Birding Trail. The
new locations include Rye Nature Center in the Hudson Valley Birding Trail Region and 13 Nassau
County Parks, Recreation and Museums properties in the Long Island Birding Trail Region.
Birdwatching is
one of the fastest-growing outdoor recreational activities in the U.S.
According to the 2022 National Survey of Hunting, Fishing, and
Wildlife-Associated Recreation, 7.4 million wildlife watchers generated
$10.8 billion in New York State in 2022. This is up from four million
New York resident wildlife viewers spending more than $6.4 billion annually
in 2016.
The I BIRD NY
program was launched in 2017 to build on the State's efforts to increase
access to New York's vast natural resources and promote no- and low-cost
opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors and connect with nature.
“North Shore
Audubon Society enthusiastically welcomes the Nassau County addition of its
excellent public preserves and parks to NY State Birding Trail,” said
Peggy Maslow, North Shore Audubon Society.
“Birds are
awesome!” said Maisie (11) and Sam (15), members of the WNY Young Birder Club.
The 2025 I BIRD NY Challenge (PDF) is open to all ages
and ends Nov. 1, 2025. To complete the Challenge, participants must
identify any 10 bird species of their choosing and
submit a challenge sheet to DEC. More than 1,800 birding enthusiasts
completed this fun challenge in 2024, the program’s highest-ever number of
participants.
Challenge sheets
may be submitted online via SurveyMonkey or sent via email or mail. Entries
must be received by Nov. 15, 2025. Entry forms are also available in Spanish (PDF). All participants will be awarded a
commemorative patch, given a completion certificate, and entered
into a drawing for great birding prizes. Two youth and two adult
winners will be chosen. Participants will also receive an extra prize entry
for providing a photo documenting their challenge
experience.
Birding
enthusiasts can visit I BIRD NY to access
this year's challenge sheet, as well as find information on where and how
to watch birds, upcoming birding events, a downloadable Beginner's Guide to Birding (PDF) (also available
in Spanish (PDF)), and additional resources. Those
interested may also opt to sign up for DEC’s monthly birding
newsletter, Words of a Feather, to have birding tips and tricks,
NYS Birding Trail site recommendations, events, and more delivered right to
their inbox.
DEC also reminds
the public that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is currently
widespread in wild birds and mammals. The public can help minimize risk and
the spread of disease by preventing contact between domestic animals and
wild birds. The public is encouraged to report sick or deceased wildlife. In cases where field
staff may be unavailable to collect samples or carcasses from the landscape
and removal is necessary, use proper personal protective equipment,
including disposable gloves, a mask and eye protection. Avoid direct
contact with the carcass or fluids by using a shovel to transfer it to a
tripled garbage or contractor bag, which should be placed in an outdoor
trash receptacle. More information about HPAI, including how it is spread
and which animals can be infected, is available on DEC’s Animal Diseases webpage.
As always,
participants are encouraged to Love Our New York Lands all
year by practicing Leave No TraceTM principles
and by recreating safely and sustainably.
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