In 1983, Phil Pryde and Howie Wier conducted the first San Diego Birdathon, in which teams try to see how many bird species they can identify in 24 hours. This idea has since brought together birders, nature lovers, friends, and families each spring to celebrate nature and raise funds to support San Diego Bird Alliance's conservation, education, and advocacy efforts.
What is Birdathon, and how can I participate?
Birdathon is like a walkathon, except instead of counting miles, you count birds! Teams and individuals pick a day to get outside in San Diego County and try to identify as many species as possible within 24 hours, while raising funds along the way.
It’s a fun activity - an opportunity to get outside to enjoy the beauty of nature, see the birds we love, and support the work San Diego Bird Alliance does to protect them. And for those with a competitive side, it's a chance to win sweet, sweet bragging rights for a year.
You don’t have to be a pro birder to participate in Birdathon. If you love to explore the beauty of nature, meet new friends, and make a positive impact in your local community, you are in the right place! Birdathoners can choose any day from April 11 - May 11 as their birding day. Teams can begin fundraising as soon as the team is formed, engaging friends and families to support their team.
Ways to Participate
- Join a team - Get out there and go birding with others on a San Diego Bird Alliance-organized team with a local team leader
- Start a team - Band together with friends, coworkers, etc., pick a fun team name, and combine forces for good!
- Participate on your own or with family and friends
- Support one of our Birdathon teams by making a donation in their honor
- Make a direct donation to San Diego Bird Alliance HERE
General Rules
- Bird count must be conducted within a single 24-hour period
- Birding must take place within San Diego County
- Birds can be identified either by sight or sound, but pictures/recordings will be requested for unusual sightings
- Teams can bird together or separately, as long as the above rules are followed
- All collected donations and final species list must be turned in by May 31st
- Follow the Birding Code of Ethics
Birdathon 2025 Highlights
The 2025 Birdathon was bigger and birdier than ever before! 125 valiant Birdathoners raised a collective $33,299 between March 1 and May 31, supporting San Diego Bird Alliance’s local conservation, outdoor education, and environmental advocacy work. This record-breaking fundraising achievement was made possible by 312 donors supporting their friends, family and coworkers in their birding endeavors. Thank you to everyone who made this year's Birdathon a huge success!
Collectively, Birdathon participants spotted 241 species in San Diego County, and over 25,000 individual birds between April 11 and May 11. Along the way, they submitted 185 eBird checklists, providing valuable data to ongoing community science efforts. Speaking of which, Cornell’s BirdCast tool estimates that 25 million birds migrated through San Diego County during the Birdathon. This is why we protect native habitats and urge people to turn off lights at night – the amazing biodiversity we observe as humans in San Diego is only a small fraction of the full picture!
This year, we celebrate two fundraising team champions: the SDBA U-Terns and the Silent Siskins! The U-Terns broke their team fundraising record in 2025, raising an impressive $7,564. However, there was no stated rule as to when the fundraising for the 2025 Birdathon could begin. The Silent Siskins raised $5,000 in June 2024, adding to the $6,966 they raised in 2025, totaling $11,966 for the 2025 Birdathon. Congratulations to both teams for raising so much support for the birds we love! Starting next year, we will set a rule that funds have to be received between Jan 1 - May 31 to count for Birdathon glory.
Bowling for Buffleheads defended their title for most species seen overall, fighting inclement weather across the county to spot 195 species. Alive, Wild, and Unrestrained set a new Birdathon record for most species seen under traditional Big Day rules – 173 species. We’re excited to see who will rise to the challenge of topping these totals next year!
Birdathon is a collective effort, and we celebrate everyone's individual take on the concept.
However, for stats-lovers, here are the final leaderboards:
Most Funds Raised (Top 5 Teams)
| SDBA U-Terns | $7,564 | ||
| Silent Siskins | $11,966* | ||
| ElderBirds | $3,805 | ||
| Wandering Totalers | $2,497 | ||
| Wild Birds Unlimited | $2,360 |
*Silent Siskins raised $5,000 in June 2024, added to the $6,966 they raised in 2025
Most Funds Raised (Top 5 Individuals)
| Vanessa Malcarne | $6,966 |
| Muriel Spooner | $3,055 |
| Brandi Sanchez | $1,200 |
| Travis Kemnitz | $1,129 |
| Amanda Kelly | $1,015 |
Most Species Seen (Top 5 Teams) - Birding All Together
| Alive, Wild, and Unrestrained | 173 | ||
| Wandering Totalers (core group) | 147 | ||
| Silent Siskins | 123 | ||
| Birden of Proof | 118 | ||
| Rolling Turnstones | 107 |
Most Species Seen (Top 5 Teams - Birding Separately)
| Bowling for Buffleheads | 195 | ||
| SDBA U-Terns | 171 | ||
| Wandering Totalers (extended group) | 163 | ||
| ElderBirds | 161 | ||
| SoCal Bird Nerds | 67 |
Most Species Seen (Top 3 Individuals - Not on a Team)
| Erika Garig | 86 |
| Rachael Morgan | 46 |
| Sarah Kesty | 26 |
