The 22nd annual Great Texas Birding Classic (GTBC) has wrapped up another year and the winners of the largest and longest bird-watching competition in the United States have chosen seven conservation projects to award grant funds.
Grants range in amount from $2,750 to $10,000.
“The Birding Classic continues to grow in popularity year after year and the different categories have really opened the event up to a wide variety of people,” shared Shelly Plante, nature tourism manager at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
“There really is something for everyone. Families and friends put together teams, bird clubs organize community events and birding hotspots promote their sites during the event.”
Growth of the GTBC has enabled thousands of dollars in habitat conservation grants to be awarded each year. This year, team registrations and sponsorships to the monthlong,
One hundred and twenty five team tournament enabled the award of $35,500 in conservation grants to projects throughout the state. Over the past 22 years, the Great Texas Birding Classic has awarded $954,000 in grants for on-the-ground habitat acquisition, restoration and enhancement projects.
In the field this year, 780 participants throughout the state identified 423 species of birds during spring migration. Among the competition were 21 youth teams, called Roughwings (ages 13 and younger) and Gliders (ages 14-18), many of which were sponsored by the Texas Ornithological Society. The GTBC set records for highest species counts in eight tournament categories.
That was including an all-time high of 380 species by the winning team in the statewide weeklong competition.
For many participants, the Great Texas Birding Classic offers more than just a chance to check off birds on a list and win prizes, but also an opportunity to connect with nature and appreciate the diversity of birds around them.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.