A birding BIG YEAR for 2026!
As my third year of retirement begins, I have decided to embark on a birding big year. Many who know me know that I have had a passion for bird watching since I was around twelve years old. Throughout my life, birding has been a way to get outside and connect with nature. My life list (that I started in 1977) currently consists of 461 species in the United States. My goal for 2026 is 500 species within the lower 48 US states, which is pretty lofty considering it would mean seeing everything I've already seen plus adding 39 new species. But hey, goals should be lofty. My plan is to blog my travels monthly within the tabs above. If you're on eBird, you can access my checklists by searching for my user name: jpeabody. Contact me using the box at the bottom on this page if you have suggestions or questions. Happy Birding!
What is a birding big year?
Birdwatchers log all the species they have seen (or heard) in a year. Some birders log by county, by state, or by country.
Where do birders log this information?
There are a number of ways birders can keep track (on paper, in a life list book), but the most common way is through a website/app called eBird which started in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in partnership with the National Audubon Society. ebird.org/home
Why?
The exercise of logging species adds a competitive component to the activity, but it also serves other birders and scientists who want to know where certain birds can be found and their numbers.
Links to learn more:
A funny movie called The Big Year (2011) stared Jack Black, Owen Wilson, and Steve Martin who depict actual birders who competed to see the most birds. More recently, two brothers produced an excellent documentary about their quest to learn more about birding and their year traveling/living in a van. www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl-wAqplQAo
What is a birding big year?
Birdwatchers log all the species they have seen (or heard) in a year. Some birders log by county, by state, or by country.
Where do birders log this information?
There are a number of ways birders can keep track (on paper, in a life list book), but the most common way is through a website/app called eBird which started in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in partnership with the National Audubon Society. ebird.org/home
Why?
The exercise of logging species adds a competitive component to the activity, but it also serves other birders and scientists who want to know where certain birds can be found and their numbers.
Links to learn more:
A funny movie called The Big Year (2011) stared Jack Black, Owen Wilson, and Steve Martin who depict actual birders who competed to see the most birds. More recently, two brothers produced an excellent documentary about their quest to learn more about birding and their year traveling/living in a van. www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl-wAqplQAo
