Chapter News & Announcements

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Evergreen Audubon’s Annual Birding Challenge

Posted on Author Chuck Aid
Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco (c) Mick Thompson

In 1918 the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) was passed, solidifying the United States’ commitment to four bilateral treaties for the protection of our shared migratory birds. This came on the heels of an earlier 1916 treaty with Canada for the protection “of the many species of birds that traverse certain parts of the United States and Canada in their annual migration.” The primary goal of these two treaties was to stop the “indiscriminate slaughter” of migratory birds, essentially stating that it is unlawful to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, possess, sell, purchase, barter, import, export, or transport any migratory bird, or any part, nest, or egg or any such bird, unless authorized under a permit issued by the Secretary of the Interior.  The MBTA was subsequently amended to protect over 800 species as treaties were signed with Mexico (1936), Japan (1972), and Russia (1976). The Canadian treaty was amended in December 1995 to allow traditional subsistence hunting of migratory birds.

Canvasback (c) Bill Schmoker

In 2016, to commemorate 100 years of the MBTA, Evergreen Audubon initiated its Annual Birding Challenge, hoping that through goal setting and competition more folks would be inclined to work on their bird identification skills and come to know our birds more intimately.  Successful completion of the Challenge makes you a Challenge Club member and earns you an exclusive Challenge Club cap.  The goal of the Challenge is to identify by sight or sound the following number of species in at least one of six geographic regions:

  • Jefferson County: 130 species
  • Clear Creek County: 75 species
  • Gilpin County: 64 species
  • Park County: 102 species
  • The State of Colorado: 171 species
  • Bear Creek Watershed (Bear Creek and its tributaries from Mount Evans to the South Platte): 111 species

These lists are not mutually exclusive; if you see a Dipper in downtown Evergreen, you can count it for the Bear Creek Watershed, Jefferson County, and the State of Colorado.

There’s still one week, until December 31, to add a few more winter birds to your count!  If you are fortunate enough to achieve the specified number of birds for one of the six areas, please send your list by Jan 16 to Chuck Aid at – birdmon@evergreenaudubon.org.  Bird Challenge hats and accolades will be awarded at this year’s annual banquet on Jan 20.