2014 Birding Challenge | Utah Birders, Utah Birds, Utah Birding, Utah Bird Identification

This years challenge is easier than last years, but can also be quite a bit harder--this year we are sending you on a birding scavenger hunt to try and find and/or photograph some of the most unique, rare, representative, and down right hard birds to find. It will be a monumental challenge to snag all 100 species on the list--and to photograph them will be even trickier. This year photos are not required--you can just hear or see the species to count it, but if you get a photo, it's worth double points.

The challenge includes 96 species on a sliding scale of 1 to 5 for how hard they should be to get--the harder the find, the more valuable the species. There are 4 bonus birds/photos that are worth more points and are a bit more of a challenge. Finally there are 16 additional scavenger hunt items that can be picked up for bonus points. Some are birds, some are people, some are events, and some have the possibility for multiple photos and points.

To participate you'll need to sign up below so we can give you a spreadsheet to keep track of your points. If you are going to take photos, you will need to create a new Flickr Set in your account called, 2014 Utah Birders Scavenger Hunt, and tag all photos with "utah birders", and add your pictures to the Utah Birders Flickr Pool Group.

The contest is open until December 31, 2014--you may use photos taken in January (before we announced the challenge)... The only rules are that all sightings and photos must happen in Utah. Once you've signed up we will send you the official checklist and tracking sheet to keep track of your scavenger hunt for the year. This page is mobile optimized so it is easy to view on your phone!

All bird photos below by Tim Avery, except the following: White-tailed Ptarmigan and Black Swift by Kenny Frisch, Elf Owl by Jeff Cooper, Boreal Owl by Brian Maxfield, Hermit Warbler by Jeff Bilsky, and Streak-backed Oriole by Stephanie Greenwood

THE 100 SPECIES YOU NEED

Photos are worth twice as much.

Greater White-fronted Goose

2 points
4 points

Cackling Goose

1 point
2 points

Trumpeter Swan

2 points
4 points

Eurasian Wigeon

2 points
4 points

Black Scoter

1 point
2 points

Long-tailed Duck

1 point
2 points

Gray Partridge

1 point
2 points

Gunnison Sage-Grouse

1 point
2 points

White-tailed Ptarmigan

2 points
4 points

Pacific Loon

1 point
2 points

Horned Grebe

1 point
2 points

Neotropic Cormorant

1 point
2 points

American Bittern

1 point
2 points

Green Heron

1 point
2 points

Glossy Ibis

1 point
2 points

California Condor

2 points
4 points

Northern Goshawk

1 point
2 points

Common Black-Hawk

1 point
2 points

Common Gallinule

3 points
6 points

American Golden-Plover

1 point
2 points

Ruddy Turnstone

2 points
4 points

Dunlin

1 point
2 points

Any Species of Jaeger

4 points
8 points

Sabine's Gull

1 point
2 points

California Gull

1 point
2 points

Glaucous-winged Gull

3 points
6 points

Common Tern

1 point
2 points

Band-tailed Pigeon

1 point
2 points

Inca Dove

1 point
2 points

Greater Roadrunner

1 point
2 points

Flammulated Owl

1 point
2 points

Elf Owl

5 points
10 points

Spotted Owl

3 points
6 points

Boreal Owl

5 points
10 points

Lesser Nighthawk

1 point
2 points

Black Swift

4 points
8 points

Calliope Hummingbird

1 point
2 points

Acorn Woodpecker

2 points
4 points

Williamson's Sapsucker

1 point
2 points

Willow Flycatcher

1 point
2 points

Least Flycatcher

2 points
4 points

Vermilion Flycatcher

1 point
2 points

Brown-crested Flycatcher

1 point
2 points

Cassin's Kingbird

1 point
2 points

Northern Shrike

1 point
2 points

Bell's Vireo

1 point
2 points

Cassin's Vireo

1 point
2 points

Pinyon Jay

1 point
2 points

Purple Martin

2 points
4 points

Violet-green Swallow

1 point
2 points

Juniper Titmouse

1 point
2 points

Verdin

1 point
2 points

Pygmy Nuthatch

1 point
2 points

Pacific Wren

1 point
2 points

Cactus Wren

1 point
2 points

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

1 point
2 points

American Dipper

1 point
2 points

Golden-crowned Kinglet

1 point
2 points

Western Bluebird

1 point
2 points

Swainson's Thrush

1 point
2 points

Gray Catbird

1 point
2 points

Crissal Thrasher

2 points
4 points

European Starling

1 point
2 points

Cedar Waxwing

1 point
2 points

Phainopepla

1 point
2 points

Lapland Longspur

2 points
4 points

Snow Bunting

2 points
4 points

Northern Waterthrush

2 points
4 points

Lucy's Warbler

1 point
2 points

Nashville Warbler

1 point
2 points

Common Yellowthroat

1 point
2 points

Grace's Warbler

1 point
2 points

Hermit Warbler

3 points
6 points

Painted Redstart

3 points
6 points

Yellow-breasted Chat

1 point
2 points

Rufous-crowned Sparrow

3 points
6 points

Abert's Towhee

1 point
2 points

Clay-colored Sparrow

2 points
4 points

Brewer's Sparrow

1 point
2 points

Black-chinned Sparrow

1 point
2 points

Sagebrush Sparrow

1 point
2 points

Grasshopper Sparrow

1 point
2 points

Harris's Sparrow

2 points
4 points

Summer Tanager

1 point
2 points

Western Tanager

1 point
2 points

Blue Grosbeak

1 point
2 points

Indigo Bunting

3 points
6 points

Bobolink

2 points
4 points

Yellow-headed Blackbird

1 point
2 points

Common Grackle

1 point
2 points

Scott's Oriole

1 point
2 points

Streak-backed Oriole

5 points
10 points

Black Rosy-Finch

3 points
6 points

Pine Grosbeak

2 points
4 points

White-winged Crossbill

4 points
8 points

Evening Grosbeak

2 points
4 points

1st state record specied in eBird (sorry the oriole doesn't count)

10 points
20 points

7+ species of bird in the same picture (no photoshopping)

7 points
14 points

Merlin/Kestrel/Prairie/Peregrine in one Day

4 points
8 points

Blue-winged x Cinnamon Teal Hybrid

5 points
10 points

BONUS POINTS

Can you conquer the challenge? The bonus photo ops will help you to the top!

Utah Birders Stickers on Cars

+1 for each

You Holding any wild Utah Bird (legally/not dead/hunted)

+1 for each

Birds Pooping

+1 for each

Birds eating Other Birds

+1 for each

Birds with Fish in bills and/or claws

+1 for each

Birds inside Holes (trees, pipes, etc)

+1 for each

Small Birds Attacking Larger Birds in Flight

+1 for each

Utah Birder speaking with Law Enforcement

+1 for each

Jerry Liguori Taking Pictures

2 points

Tim Avery not wearing a Rockies/Broncos Shirt while birding

2 points

Jeff Bilsky in the "birding stance"

2 points

Kenny Frisch eating anything

2 points

Carl Ingwell's beard

2 points

Shyloh Robinson's Cedar Waxwing Tattoo

2 points

Utah Birders picking up trash at a birding hotspot

2 points

At least 10 Utah Birders together

1 point +1 for each person over 10

WE ARE THE UTAH BIRDERS

2014 Challenge

THE 100 SPECIES YOU NEED

BONUS POINTS

UTAH BIRDERS FLICKR POOL