The Great Texas Birding Classic

In the 15 years of the Great Texas Birding Classic we have had some great successes, but it is now time to re-group and envision what the Birding Classic should look like moving forward. Please read on to see what we have planned in 2012 and 2013 and how you can be involved. Rest assured that even though the Birding Classic is changing, it is by no means going away.

2012: How to Take Part in an Informal 16th Annual Birding Classic
There will be an informal 16th Annual Great Texas Birding Classic in 2012. Even though TPWD is spending the next year planning a newly envisioned Birding Classic for 2013, there has been such an overwhelming response from previous teams planning to participate that TPWD will be hosting an informal event in 2012 that will use this site as a place to highlight those teams' efforts.

This website will be updated with team listings as I receive information from you. To be included on this list, please email the TPWD Nature Tourism Manager, Shelly Plante, by Wednesday, April 11th with your completed short registration form so that your team can be listed and you can be contacted for your results after the tournament, photos of your team birding and preparing for your day(s), stories from the field, etc. Information includes your team name, tournament category, members, etc. There are no registration fees required for this year only since it is an informal event and no conservation grants will be awarded by TPWD.

Many teams have expressed an interest in supporting conservation organizations, restoration/acquisition projects, the State Park fund, school wildscapes, and more through their participation, so there is a place on the registration form for your team to indicate who/what you are raising conservation dollars to support (if you decide to do so) and to post how much money you donate (if you would like to include that figure - it is not necessary, though). Teams are raising conservation dollars either through a birdathon model (getting friends and family to donate money per bird species seen or to donate a flat amount) or even through team sponsorship that will go towards their travel/food costs and their selected organization/project. Teams are not required to raise funds for conservation this year, but if your team decides to do so, please indicate that decision on your registration form so that TPWD can highlight those efforts.

Due to the informality of the event, the dates are flexible. The tournament was originally scheduled for April 14-22, but please feel free to take your team out on the date that works best for your schedule this year.

In addition to listing teams on the TPWD Birding Classic website, the Birding Classic Facebook page will be a great place for teams to post photos, team stories, species totals, and other tales from the field. Please feel free to use it for that purpose.

2013: Plans for the 17th Annual Birding Classic
TPWD staff and previous participants and supporters of the Great Texas Birding Classic will spend the upcoming year planning details of the 2013 event. This year gives us an opportunity to step back and see what works, what can be improved, and how best to streamline the tournament logistically and financially to ensure a sustainable event that will continue to get people outside enjoying nature and helping with nature tourism and conservation fundraising in Texas.

One big change that will be happening in 2013 is that the Birding Classic is going to go statewide! The Birding Classic was originally created to support the initial maps in the Great Texas Wildlife Trail map series, the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail. Now that the trails are statewide (the final map in this series, the Far West Texas Wildlife Trail, launched in June 2011) it makes sense to take the tournament statewide as well. This change will allow even more birders, families, friends, schools, and other groups to be involved in this fun event! We can't wait to open this event up to the entire state.

The Birding Classic helps bring about bird habitat conservation, increases public awareness of Texas bird diversity and promotes community nature tourism development. Birders of all ages and skill levels are invited to join us for one day or all week of the Classic. Through the efforts of the Birding Classic, more birds and more birders are expected to flock to Texas, so don't miss out on this fun event!

Please visit the contact section to receive more information or if you have questions. We will be updating the rest of the Birding Classic pages in the coming weeks, so check back for more information soon.