Alabama Bird Search – Youth Challenge (ABS)! During this state-wide, competitive birding event, youth teams ranging from pre-kindergarten through high school will compete against other teams in their age division for most species identified, among other categories, for prizes and recognition. A T-shirt art contest will also feature the grand prize-winning art on the event’s T-shirt next year.
WHY GET INVOLVED?
Do you love birds, nature, or being outside? Are you looking for a great excuse to spend time outdoors with the kids in your life? Do you want to pass your passion for birding on to the next generation? Through this state-wide competition, it’s goal is to allow Alabama’s youth to learn about the state’s great biodiversity of native birds, get outside, enjoy a new sport, and spend time with friends and family in nature. Together with your help, we can raise the next generation of nature lovers and conservationists.
Now announcing the Alabama Youth T-shirt Art (TART) Contest 2026-2027!
NEED-TO-KNOW
Last Day to turn in artwork for 2027 - January 10, 2027
Judging by panel - January 11 -17 , 2027
Age-division winners announced via email and social media. Grand-prize winner invited to be honored at Alabama Audubon’s Bird of the Year Event. All winners receive $$ gift card prize by mail/email. - January 18th, 2027
Alabama Audubon’s Bird of the Year Event. Grand-prize winner honored. - January 31, 2027
All T-shirt Art Contest artists are invited to attend the combo T-shirt Art Exhibition/ABS Youth Challenge Awards Picnic. The Grand-prize-winning T-shirt Art will be featured on the official 2027 ABS T-shirt.
TART age-division winners honored. Artists who register by the deadline AND attend the Exhibition/Awards event receive an ABS 2027 T-shirt. T-shirts for participating artists must be picked up at the awards picnic and will not be mailed.
Youth artists are encouraged to participate in the Alabama Bird Search - Youth Challenge
Awards & Recognition Picnic - October TBA 2027
Important Contact Information
Jess Searcy – ABS Volunteer Coordinator, Alabama Audubon Mobile: 404-558-2837 (Important: please text before calling to ensure your call is answered) alabamabirdsearch@gmail.com
How to submit Art
HOW TO ENTER: All you need to do is draw, paint or create a native Alabama bird on paper or canvas and have a grownup email a high-resolution JPG photo of it by January 10th, 2027, with the subject line “2027 TART Contest” to: alabamabirdsearch@gmail.com (NOTE: Please email if you do not have access to a camera or scanner).
When photographing your artwork, please fill the frame fully and make sure the artwork appears straight (not tilted in any direction). Only JPG/JPEG photo files are accepted.
Teacher/Parent/Guardian: in the body of the email, include representative adult’s email and phone number, artist’s name, age, grade level, city of residence, and the species name of the bird(s) in the artwork. NOTE: PLEASE SPECIFY IF YOU DO NOT WANT ARTIST’S FULL NAME PUBLISHED IN MEDIA ABOUT CONTEST.
PLEASE SEE FAQ below for more questions.
Winner of 2025 T-shirt Art Contest
Noah B (5th Grade) Northern Bobwhite
Forest Green Youth Sizes Only
Navy Blue Adult Sizes Only
Frequently Asked Questions
Click the + to read
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CONTEST RULES
The ABS - Youth Challenge T-Shirt Art Contest is open only to Alabama residents in PreK – 12th grade.
Although participation in the 2027 Alabama Bird Search - Youth Challenge is encouraged, it is not required to submit artwork.
Only one entry per artist is allowed.
Submission must be the artist’s original artwork.
Digitally created artwork is allowed, but tracings or computer-generated (AI) artwork is prohibited.
Artwork must feature a native Alabama bird(s) species.
Submission of artwork automatically grants Alabama Bird Search and Alabama Audubon permission to use and distribute artwork for digital display and T-shirt printing
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The Alabama Bird Search - Youth Challenge is held over a multiday period coinciding with peak fall migration. Teams of 2-5 kids compete against other teams in their age division to find the most bird species in Alabama in a single 24-hour period. Winners are announced at an awards event soon after the competition period ends.
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Teams select a contiguous 24-hour period during the competition window and spend as much time as they want during that day (and night!) finding as many species as possible.
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It is a statewide competition, so anywhere you live - you can bird there too!
The awards ceremony will be at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve- see full event page here.
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Of course! For each age division (PreK-2nd, 3-5th, 6-8th, or 9-recently graduated 12th) teams will compete for the most bird species identified in a 24-hour period and/or the top first-year “fledgling” team.
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Fun! Meet other youth birders, learn about some amazing live wildlife ambassadors, eat some food, and sport your new FREE ABS T-shirt featuring one of our amazing youth artists!
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Register online HERE or see the full event page.
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The rules and other information can be found here.
Winner of 2025 T-shirt Art Contest
Congratulations!
Noah B (5th Grade) // Bobwhite
Gallery of ART From ABS 2024 Entries
Alabama Bird Search – Youth Challenge (ABS) and T-shirt Art Contest. During this state-wide, twenty-four-hour “Big Day” competitive birding event, youth teams ranging from prekindergarten through high school compete against other teams in their age division for most species identified, among other categories, for prizes and recognition.
We love supporting art and birding of all ages!
Read more about it here!
