Nebraska Birding Bowl Rules
All Category Requirements:
Rules & Registration
- All adult team members have read the Birding Bowl rules on this webpage
- All adult team members have registered through the Nebraska Birding Guide website (April 1- May 31)
- At least one adult team member has an eBird account – only eBird checklists are accepted (exception of Fledgling Flock category)
- At least one adult (18+) is on the team
- Compete on only one team (exception of adults leading a Fledgling Flock team)
- Team members must bird together and stay within voice contact but can bird with other teams. Follow the American Birding Association Code of Ethics
Observe & Identify Birds
- Observe (by sight or sound) your categories’ required number of bird species during May
- Only count birds you can positively identify using general labels (e.g., “sparrow sp.”) if unsure
Attend a Nebraska Bird Month Program
- At least one team member has attended one or more Nebraska Bird Month programs (in person or online)
Submit eBird Checklists
- Your team has met your categories’ required number of eBird checklists
- Each checklist includes your team name in the comments section
- Submit final checklists via eBird by 11:59 p.m. Central daylight time on May 31 (Only one person per team creates a checklist per location)
- Unlike previous years, you will not share each completed checklist with a category account. However, you must still complete checklists to include in your final Trip Report, which should be shared with ngpc.birdingbowl@nebraska.gov
Create a Trip Report
- After submitting your last competition checklist, one team member must create a Trip Report including only checklists during May of this year
- The Trip Report narrative includes:
- Your team name
- Names of adult team members
- The name of the Nebraska Bird Month program you attended
- One thing you learned from the program
- Email the Trip Report link to ngpc.birdingbowl@nebraska.gov with the subject:
“[Your Team Name] – “Your Category Trip Report” by June 4, 2025.
Additional Category-Specific Requirements:
| Category | Minimum Species Observation | Category-specific Rules | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fledgling Flock (youth/family) | 10 | • Adults record birds observed on at least one checklist • Youth create artwork or write about birds they observed – submit by May 31st to ngpc.birdingbowl@nebraska.gov • Exceptions: eBird not required for Fledgling Flock category, adult Fledgling Flock participants can also participate on other teams | Youth birding kit (drawing) |
| Backyard Birder (home-based/accessible) | 10 | • Team consists of members from a single household • Submit a minimum of five eBird checklists from your home | Bird feeding setup (pole, feeder, & seed) (drawing) |
| Dabbling Birder (beginner/intermediate) | 20 | • Submit a minimum of five eBird checklists • Submit at least one checklist from a location listed on the Nebraska Birding Guide map | Vortex Diamondback binoculars (drawing) |
| Competitive Birder (advanced/high species count) | 50 | • If a species is flagged by eBird as rare, additional documentation (photo or sound) is required. Written descriptions will not be acceptable for this category • Submit at least three checklists from a location listed on the Nebraska Birding Guide map | • Observe 50-99 species: Bird field guides (drawing) • Observe 100-150 species: $500 cash (drawing) • Observe 150+ species: $1,000 cash (drawing) |
Additional Prize
In any category, participants who meet the category requirements will be entered into a drawing for a two-night cabin stay at Ponca State Park or Niobrara State Park.
Please Note:
- You cannot change categories after registering, please plan accordingly.
- Please write down your team name. You will not receive a confirmation copy of your registration form.
- Birding Bowl staff retains the right to evaluate the integrity of teams’ bird lists and may request more information to support observations
- Prize winners will be notified and must claim prizes by July 1
- Birds must be wild, unrestrained, and alive
- Only full species count (e.g., Dark-eyed Junco, not White-winged Junco)
- If identifying a bird group (e.g., “yellowlegs sp.”), it counts only if no other species from that group appears on your list