By Trish Svoboda

The 2024 Kansas Birding Big Year Contest, organized by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), has begun. Participants need to record unique bird species sightings in Kansas from January 1 to December 31, 2024, and submit their findings online.

There are three age categories: Youth (17 and under), Adult (18 to 64), and Senior (65 and older). Winners will receive prizes in January 2025.

Participation Guidelines include:

· Register online by April 1, 2024, at ksoutdoors.com.

· Adhere to competition rules based on the American Birding Association’s guidelines.

· Record sightings using the eBird platform on www.ebird.org.

· Submit quarterly species lists by June 30, September 30, and December 31.

Winners, including categories like Youth, Adult Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and Senior, will be announced in mid-January of the following year.

The 2023 winners were Franklin Miller (Youth) and Tom Cannon (Senior), who each identified 328 unique bird species in Kansas.