How many birds can local birders find in twenty-four hours? It’s a challenge Island birders have been giving themselves for more than twenty years. From 5PM on Friday, May 17 through 5PM on Saturday, May 18, the Maria Mitchell Association invites birders of all ages, experienced and novice, on Nantucket to participate in our annual Bird-A-Thon. At the close, birders come together to pool their lists and see how many species were here in that snapshot of time.

The goal of the Bird-A-Thon is to encourage participants to notice birds in their daily lives. To register as a birder for this event, please follow the link below to register by Friday, May 17 at 12 PM. Following the end of event, the MMA will host a live count session, to officially count the species seen, at the MMA Research Center on Saturday, May 18 at 5:30 PM.

Anyone birding on Nantucket during the Bird-A-Thon window is welcome to participate. MMA Members and Non-Members, Nantucket residents and non-residents can participate by donating, however only birds counted on Nantucket qualify as a part of the official count!

All donations to the Nantucket Bird-A-Thon support the MMA’s conservation of its renowned Edith F. Andrews Ornithology Collection and activities related to the MMA’s work on bird conservation education.