Past Colorado Birding Challenges

2022 Challenge

Teams
Birders
Counties Birded
Conservation Funds
$

Gunnison Sage Grouse Conservation 

Funds raised from the 2022 Colorado Birding Challenge were donated to Gunnison Basin-Sagebrush Ecosystem Alliance cheatgrass removal and sagebrush habitat restoration. In addition to Gunnison Sage-Grouse recovery, this will support habitat recovery for other sagebrush-dependent species including Brewer's Sparrow, Sagebrush Sparrow, Sage Thrasher, Green-tailed Towhee and Vesper Sparrow.

Big Day Category Winners

Automobile

Winner: The Ususal Suspects

% of Par: 99%

Total Species: 127

County Birded: Dolores

Team Members: Glenn Dunmire & Mike Thomas

Green

Winner: The Shining Mountain Ramblers

% of Par:  92%

Total Species: 83

County Birded: Pitkin County

Team Members: John Anderson & Bryan Gieszl

Youth

Winner: The Serious Sparrows

% of Par: 23%

Total Species: 44

County Birded: Larimer

Team Members: Ezekiel, Ellison, and Weyland Lynum

Big Sit

Winner: The Kingery Big Sit

% of Par: 57%

Total Species: 96

County Birded: Douglas

Team Members: Hugh and Urling Kingery

 

Fundraising Champion - Team

Winner: The White-bearded Helmetcrests

Funds raised: $8,260

County Birded: Larimer

Team Members: Nickolas Komar, Doug Swartz, Jay Breidt, John Shenot

 

Fundraising Champion - Individual

Winner: Bryan Gieszl

Funds raised: $4,193

County Birded: Pitkin County

 

Photo/ Audio

[No 2022 Participants]

 

2021 Challenge

The inaugural Colorado Birding Challenge was a success thanks to everyone to participated and donated. 

Teams
Birders
Counties Birded
Species Observed
Conservation Funds
$

Grassland Conservation 

Funds raised from the 2021 Colorado Birding Challenge were donated to Bird Conservancy of the Rockies to support two of their ongoing efforts.

    1. Restoration of degraded grasslands in northern Mexico to help provide suitable habitat for wintering Colorado grassland birds whose populations are declining due to decreasing habitat

 

    1. Expand the Motus network by building a tower to help track the migratory routes, breeding sites, and wintering locations of threatened grassland bird species. This information will help focus future conservation efforts.

 

Big Day Category Winners

Automobile

Winner: Team Ouray 

% of Par: 98.9% 

Total Species: 92 

County Birded: Ouray

Team Members: CFO's WFO Liaison Don Marsh, Cliff Utech, and Kent Nelson

There were 39 teams that competed in the Automobile category covering 35 different Colorado counties!  

Green

Winner: The Masked Trogons

% of Par: 56% 

Total Species: 108

County Birded: Larimer

Team Members: CFO President Nick Komar and CFO Board Director Greg Osland

Mode of transport: Foot, Bike

Teams in this category reported observing birds on foot, from bikes, and by kayak!

Photo/Audio

Winner: Team JPEG Juncos.

% of Par: 60%

Total Species: 94

County Birded: Arapahoe

Team Members: Rob Raker and Mitchell Bailey

 

Youth

Winner: Crystal River's Wild Scenics

% of Par: 63%

Species: 74

County Birded: Garfield

Team Members: Mary Harris, Madalynn Connor, George Waaler and Katie Daniels