BIRD OF THE YEAR
A FUNDRAISER CELEBRATING
A MYSTERY BIRD & A YEAR OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The Alabama Audubon Bird of the Year Fundraiser 2026 will take place on February 1st, 2026, at Back Forty Beer Company in downtown Birmingham. This third annual fundraising event will celebrate a stellar year in 2025 for the nonprofit organization and unveil the mystery bird species selected for 2026.
ABOUT BIRD OF THE YEAR
Bird of the Year is a program through which Alabama Audubon chooses a native Alabama bird species that directly benefits from our conservation programs. The 2026 bird is particularly cherished by Alabama’s growing community of people who come together to celebrate birds or advocate for their protection, and is a standout species. Throughout the year, the bird will be prominently featured in outreach programs, and everyone will have the opportunity to learn much more about the species than can be found in a field guide.
Bird of the Year 2026
Full event details here. We hope to see you there!
BIRD OF THE YEAR 2025
The Snowy Plover is of particular concern in Alabama, where it is considered a species of Highest Conservation Concern due to threats such as habitat loss, predation, and human disturbances. A special highlight of the night was presenting UAB with the Avian Ally Award for their commitment to bird-friendly initiatives, including incorporating bird-safe window decals on their new Genomics Building to prevent bird collisions. Guests also had the chance to view a one-of-a-kind artwork created by UAB student and nature enthusiast Ava Bailey, capturing the beauty of the Snowy Plover.
Meet bbGY (“Guy”), the Snowy Plover star Bird of the Year 2025. Artist Ava Bailey beautifully captured the essence of the Snowy Plover through her artwork—featuring a real, banded bird that our coastal team has been tracking for years. Known by the colored bands on her legs as bbGY (or affectionately, “Guy”), this tiny shorebird was originally banded in 2016 on Dauphin Island.
Since then, he’s returned to the same shoreline multiple times, becoming a familiar and beloved figure in our coastal monitoring efforts. Snowy Plovers like Guy face countless challenges along Alabama’s coast—from habitat loss and human disturbance to predators and rising sea levels. That’s why they’ve become a focal point of our coastal conservation initiative. These birds nest directly on sandy beaches, where their eggs and chicks are incredibly vulnerable.
Thank you to our board, volunteers, and supporters for making this year a huge success.
Bird of the Year 2024
The ALABAMA AUDUBON Bird of the Year Gala took place on February 2, 2024 at the Clubhouse on Highland in Birmingham. This first annual gala event served as a celebration of 2023 and a grand reveal of the mystery bird species chosen for 2024.
The Bird of the Year 2024 was the Cedar Waxwing.
Artwork was created by Bryant Whelan. Whelan is a mixed-media artist living in Fairhope, Alabama whose thematic work focuses on the interconnection of elements of nature reflected through lifecycle phenomena of flora and fauna, plant and sea life. Her artistic process combines drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and collage. Botanic ecoprinting is also a process used in Whelan’s work using a heat transfer method to create ghost-like imagery of leaves and flora gathered on nature walks.
Whelan received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Auburn University and is a member of the Mississippi Art Colony. She has received numerous awards for her work and teaches workshops along the Gulf Coast. Her fine art can be found in galleries and private collections throughout the United States.