The 2026 I Bird NY Challenge starts on March 1.

Birders of all ages and abilities are encouraged by the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation to identify birds and learn about birdlife, and finishers are awarded a commemorative patch and certificate along with the opportunity to win birding-related prizes.

To complete the challenge, which runs through Nov. 1, participants must identify any 10 wild bird species and submit a challenge sheet to DEC. Over 1,600 birders completed the challenge last year.

“Birds can be enjoyed by anyone at any time and anywhere. Birds bring us joy and help us discover wonder in the world and connect with the needs of our ecosystems. Happy birding!” said Jenn Lodi-Smith, Ph.D., founder and director of The Spark Bird Project, in a release from the DEC promoting the event.

This year’s launch comes just after the journal Science published a study on Feb. 26 showing bird populations are declining faster — especially in agricultural areas — than originally calculated.

“As human populations and technologies have expanded, so has the rate of our influence on ecosystems,” writes Bianca Lopez in a summary of the study led by Francois Leroy. “Leroy et al. investigated whether this ‘Great Acceleration’ has led to increasing abundance changes in birds, one of the most highly studied taxonomic groups.

“Using data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey, the authors found that about half of the 261 species analyzed showed significant declines from 1987 to 2021, and a quarter showed accelerating declines. Hotspots of accelerating abundance decline were located in regions with high-intensity agriculture (high cropland area, fertilizer use, or pesticide use).”

New York state supports more than 450 different bird species throughout the year. The I Bird NY Challenge, launched in 2017, incentivizes observing birds in neighborhoods, local parks, or DEC and partner lands throughout the state.

Because people can observe birds wherever they live, work, or recreate, birding is an accessible activity that does not require transportation or the purchase of specialized equipment, the DEC notes. Bird watching can be enjoyed by people from all economic backgrounds and education levels. While binoculars can help, many birds can be identified without them.

Those interested in taking the challenge can visit the “I BIRD NY” webpage to access this year’s challenge sheet and find information on where and how to watch birds, upcoming birding events, a downloadable Beginner’s Guide to Birding (also available in Spanish), and additional resources.

Those interested may also sign up for the DEC’s monthly birding newsletter, Words of a Feather, for birding tips and tricks, New York State Birding Trail site recommendations, events, and more delivered right to one’s inbox.

Challenge sheets may be submitted online via Survey Monkey or sent by email or mail. Entries must be received by Nov. 18. Entry forms will be available in Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, and Urdu.

All participants will be awarded a commemorative patch, given a completion certificate, and entered into a drawing for great birding prizes. Two youth and two adult winners will be chosen. Participants will also receive an extra prize entry for providing a photo documenting their challenge experience.