World Series of Birding 2026

The World Series of Birding is an annual event sponsored by the NJ Audubon Society to help New Jersey environmental organizations raise money for the habitat needs of migrating birds. This year, over 90 teams all over the state will vie for glory and their share of the excitement while identifying as many species of birds as possible in 24 hours.

At midnight on May 9, our skilled team of expert birders, the Highland Hawks, will set out from Sussex County and make their way south towards Brigantine. Last year they spotted 155 species, including rare birds like black-necked stilt, American golden plover, ruddy duck, red-breasted merganser, red-throated loon, and white-winged scoter. Thanks to your support, the team helped raise $47,740 for Land Conservancy preservation projects!

You can join in on the fun while raising awareness and support for habitat conservation this year by supporting the team today. If you'd like to pledge per bird the team IDs instead of making a donation now, contact Julia Flath at jflath@tlc-nj.org.

The team will be documenting their 2026 World Series of Birding progress on eBird, and we’ll share the results once the event concludes. (For a glimpse at what’s in store, you can check out the full Highlands Hawks’ 2025 recap here.)

We are deeply grateful to every one of you who helps TLCNJ continue what we do best: preserve the landscapes you (and birds) love. Thank you!