Since April 2014, the Bird Count India partnership has been running a series of monthly eBirding challenges. The reason? To inject a little bit of extra fun and friendly competition into our birding activities, while generating useful information on bird distribution and abundance from our collective efforts.
This page describes the different flavours of yearlong challenges, to supplement the monthly challenges. Are you game?
2025
Building on the success of the previous years, we’re introducing some exciting twists to keep you motivated throughout 2025! Here are the updated categories:
- The Prolific eBirder:
Upload more than 525 eligible checklists (15 minutes or longer, effort-based, and ‘Complete’) in the year. - The Consistent eBirder:
Upload at least one eligible checklist every day of the year (i.e., 365 lists in 2025). - The Adventurous eBirder:
Upload at least two eligible checklists from 18 different districts across India. - The Faithful eBirder:
Upload at least 175 eligible checklists from a single location of your choice. - The Dedicated eBirder:
Spend at least 520 hours birding, based on eligible effort-based lists of any duration throughout the year. - The Exploratory eBirder:
Upload at least five eligible checklists from 6 districts that had fewer than 1,000 checklists as of December 2024. - NEW – The Inclusive eBirder:
Upload at least 100 shared checklists, shared with a minimum of 25 different eBirders (the shared eBirders must have their own accounts and accept the checklists)
Note: The number of shared checklists and eBirders may be revised by the end of Jan 2025. - The eBirder of the Year:
Be an eBirder of the Month for at least 8 of the 12 months of 2025.
The names of those who meet the targets of each of these different challenges will be announced in Jan 2026. From among each group, one name will be drawn at random to receive a small gift in appreciation; a maximum of one per person.
2024
Many of the year-long challenges for 2024 are very similar to those of the last year. — except we have a brand new category for birders who like to explore new regions (with safety precautions of course) and make multiple lists in each such less birded regions!
Here are the categories:
- The prolific eBirder: more than 500 eligible lists (15 min or longer, effort-based and ‘complete‘) in the year.
- The consistent eBirder: at least one eligible list each day of the year (i.e. 365 lists in 2024)
- The adventurous eBirder: will have at least two eligible lists from each of least 15 different districts.
- The faithful eBirder: will have at least 150 eligible lists from a single location.
- The dedicated eBirder: will have racked up at least 500 hours in total while birding, across complete, effort-based lists of ANY duration.
- NEW– The exploratory eBirder: will have at least five eligible lists from each of at least five districts having less than 1000 lists as of December 2023. Here is an example of what birders did in Tuensang, Nagaland. (See full list of districts here)
- The eBirder of the year: will have been an eBirder of the month for at least 8 of the 12 months of 2024.The names of those who meet the targets of each of these different challenges will be announced in Jan 2024. From among each group, one name will be drawn at random to receive a small gift in appreciation; a maximum of one per person.
2023
The winners of the 2023 can be seen here.
Many of the year-long challenges for 2023 are very similar to those of the last year. — except we challenge birders to bird a bit more often (with safety precautions of course) and look for birds for longer!
Here are the categories:
- The prolific eBirder: more than 500 eligible lists (15 min or longer, effort-based and ‘complete‘) in the year.
- The consistent eBirder: at least one eligible list each day of the year (i.e. 365 lists in 2024)
- The adventurous eBirder: will have at least four eligible lists from each of least 15 different districts.
- The faithful eBirder: will have at least 150 eligible lists from a single location.
- The dedicated eBirder: will have racked up at least 500 hours in total while birding, across complete, effort-based lists of ANY duration.
- The eBirder of the year: will have been an eBirder of the month for at least 8 of the 12 months of 2023.
Eligible lists are complete checklists with all species reported, including counts for all species (no X’s)
These challenges are designed such that at least one of the targets should be within reach of most birders — for example if you travel a lot, then the adventurous eBirder challenge might be for you; or if you hardly travel at all, then the faithful eBirder challenge might suit you. If you upload a relatively small number of long-duration lists, then the dedicated eBirder challenge is for you; but if you like to upload lots of short-duration lists, the prolific eBirder challenge should be within your reach. Of course, you may be able to meet the targets of several of these challenges, not just one!
The names of those who meet the targets of each of these different challenges will be announced in late Jan 2024. From among each group, one name will be drawn at random to receive a small gift in appreciation; a maximum of one per person. Please remember to upload all your 2023 lists by 10 Jan 2024.
Check out the Yearlong Challenges from 2015 to 2022 here.
Important: If you’re new to eBird, please start by reading this overview of the eBirding challenges we run. We recommend watching the short videos on how to use the eBird app, add media to your eBird lists, share checklists, and more.
Header image: Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata © Renuka Vijayaraghavan / Macaulay Library
