The IAS Big County Big Year Challenge is a chance for Indiana birders to celebrate birding in Indiana in 2018.    In partnership with the Kristina Knowski Arts, Sassafras Audubon, Robert Cooper Audubon, and Indigo Birding Tours, birders are invited to seek out as many species of birds that can be found in Indiana during 2018 in the individual counties that they live in, as well as any of the 92 counties statewide.  Species totals for each county range from 60-175 species.

The contest begins January 1 and continues through December 31 2018.  All participants must submit their bird lists no later than January  6, 2019 to be eligible. To play, birders must seek out as many bird species as they can in one single county.  Each individual county varies in how many birds have historically been found and the number of birding locations.  Therefore, a county target number has been set using statistical models.

To be eligible for prizes, you must beat the county target set for that county.  Multiple entries are allowed for meeting the target for each additional county you bird in 2018.  Participants reporting their totals are strongly encouraged to log their checklists into ebird.com and then you can easily track your county year lists for easy reporting at the end of the year.  Individuals may also keep track on their own personal spreadsheets if desired. To enter, send an email here and be sure to include for each eligible county:

  • ebird user name (if available)
  • County birded
  • County total

1/10/19 UPDATE: Prize Winners!
Kristina Knowski Commission Print- Heath Harlan, Evansville IN
Indigo Nature Tours Gift Certificate- Whitney Yoerger, Zionsville IN
Indigo Nature Tours Gift Certificate- Brian Lowry, Scottsburg IN
Wild Birds Unlimited $50 Gift Card- Sam Plew, Lagrange IN
Birds and Beans Coffee Combo-  Lindsay Grossmann, South Bend IN
Additionally, the following will receive an IBCBYC sticker- Gary Overdorf, Matt Bowman, Philip English, Bob Guth, and Amy Kearns.


Prize drawings will occur after January 10.  The grand prize drawing will be a custom commissioned print being produced by Kristina Knowski Arts. 

Two additional winners will receive a gift certificate to join an IndiGo Birding Nature Tours trip in Indiana ($40 value).  IndiGo offers an assortment of trips around the state during the year.  Prizes donated by

IndiGo Birding Nature Tours, LLC
“Personalized Guide Service to South-Central Indiana”
http://www.indigobirding.com

Sassafras Audubon Society
“Serving the Indiana counties of Monroe, Lawrence, Owen, Greene, Morgan, Jackson, Brown and Bartholomew since 1970.”
http://www.sassafrasaudubon.org/

One additional winner will receive a $50 gift card from Wild Birds Unlimited, courtesy Robert Cooper Audubon Society.

Purchase the BCBC 2018 Sticker for your car or home here for only $3.00!

For questions on participating, email BCBC Coordinator, Brad Bumgardner.

County Species List Target for Contest Entry

Adams 70 Hendricks 130 Pike 150
Allen 140 Henry 95 Porter 165
Bartholomew 75 Howard 65 Posey 115
Benton 100 Huntington 140 Pulaski 75
Blackford 100 Jackson 145 Putnam 130
Boone 125 Jasper 90 Randolph 60
Brown 145 Jay 70 Ripley 95
Carroll 65 Jefferson 105 Rush 60
Cass 90 Jennings 80 Scott 140
Clark 95 Johnson 80 Shelby 70
Clay 105 Knox 115 Spencer 130
Clinton 65 Kosciusko 135 St. Joseph 155
Crawford 110 LaGrange 155 Starke 90
Daviess 105 Lake 175 Steuben 105
Dearborn 135 LaPorte 145 Sullivan 140
Decatur 60 Lawrence 125 Switzerland 65
Dekalb 60 Madison 120 Tippecanoe 165
Delaware 145 Marion 155 Tipton 60
Dubois 120 Marshall 85 Union 115
Elkhart 160 Martin 105 Vanderburgh 120
Fayette 75 Miami 75 Vermillion 115
Floyd 100 Monroe 155 Vigo 150
Fountain 70 Montgomery 105 Wabash 100
Franklin 90 Morgan 100 Warren 115
Fulton 65 Newton 160 Warrick 150
Gibson 170 Noble 85 Washington 80
Grant 95 Ohio 60 Wayne 115
Greene 170 Orange 125 Wells 75
Hamilton 150 Owen 80 White 80
Hancock 120 Parke 110 Whitley 65
Harrison 100 Perry 65

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