Georgia's Second Annual Youth Birding Competition (YBC) was held April 28-29, 2007, resulting in more than 200 species identified by young birders and culminating in a banquet and exhilarating awards ceremony at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center (CEWC) in Mansfield, Ga.  The event was coordinated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (DNR/WRD).

"The awards ceremony was a wonderful tribute to a young and growing group of Georgia birders," said Tim Keyes, WRD Wildlife Biologist and YBC coordinator. "The skills and knowledge developed and demonstrated over the weekend were truly inspiring and represented thousands of hours of studying books and recordings as well as observing birds in their natural settings."

Twenty-five teams comprised of 100 participants ranging from 4 to 18 years old competed in the annual event.  The youth teams canvassed the state in an attempt to record the highest number of species clearly identified through sight or song in a 24-hour period of time.

The purpose of the event was to encourage an interest in birds and their habitats among young Georgians, and to help them meet other like-minded youth from across the state.  Many of the participating teams crisscrossed the state to visit as many habitat types as possible from the coast to the mountains, while others chose to thoroughly search a particular area of the state.  All teams finished the competition at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday at CEWC to turn in their final birding checklists. Read the results and more on the GA DNR website!

The following teams participated in the four age divisions for the competition:

Pre-Elementary Division:
Brownie Thrashers - Atlanta, GA
The Wood Thrushes - Atlanta, GA
Birds of a Feather - LaGrange, GA
Homeschool Herons - Suwannee, GA

Elementary Division:
Rockin Robins - Braselton, GA
Brown Thrashers (boys) - Decatur, GA
Brown Thrashers (girls) - Decatur, GA
Chaotic Kestrels - Jackson, GA
Eagle Eyes 1 - Augusta, GA
Southern Searchers - Valdosta, GA
The Lightning Eagles - Mansfield, GA
The Kinglets - Rome, GA
Homeschool Hummers - Suwannee, GA

Middle Division:
Valdosta Vultures - Valdosta, GA
The Wingwatchers - Roswell, GA
Eagle Eyes 2 - Augusta, GA
Invincible Ivorybills - Marietta, GA
Eagle Eyes 3 - Augusta, GA
The Kestrels - Athens, GA
Caracara Cousins - Midland, GA
The Thunderbirders - Watkinsville, GA
Marietta Merlins - Marietta, GA

High School Division:
The Goofbald Eagles - Bainbridge, GA
Golden Eagles - Macon, GA

Team Photos (see also Awards Banquet)
                                             
      Marietta Merlins                        Eagle Eyes                      Goofbald Eagles         Lightning Eagles 2        Brownie Thrashers

                                              
  Thunderbirders       Wood Thrushes     Home School Hummers    Caracara Cousins    Birds of a Feather     Home School Herons


In The Field
                              

                               
                         

                                   

                            

                       

                                                

Awards Banquet
                           

                            

                                                       

For more information on the Georgia Youth Birding Competition and to find out how to participate in the 4th Annual Competition in 2009, contact YBC coordinator Tim Keyes: (478) 994-1438 or Tim_Keyes@dnr.state.ga.us