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About the Big Sit: Rules of Play, the Golden Bird, and More

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It's Like a Tailgate Party for Birders!

The Big Sit! is an annual, international, noncompetitive birding event hosted by Bird Watcher's Digest and founded by the New Haven (CT) Bird Club. THE EVENT IS FREE! Every team that observes this year's "Golden Bird" has a chance to win $500. We hope bird watchers from around the globe will unite on this special day by participating in this event (it's free!). The Big Sit! is sponsored by Swarovski Optik.

Register today »

Before the Sit!

Every circle (not person) must be registered before the event. Please register your circle today. THIS EVENT IS FREE! When you register, make sure you prepare the following information:

Circle Captain's Information

  • First and Last Name
  • Team Name
  • Full Mailing Address
  • Phone Number
  • Email Address

    • Circle Description

  • City
  • State
  • Zip
  • Brief Description of Your Area (Please list specific location)

    • How to Register

    You may register online (preferably) or send your registration to:

    Bird Watcher's Digest

    P.O. Box 110, Marietta, OH 45750
    E-mail: webeditor@birdwatchersdigest.com

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    Rules of Play

  • Observations can be made from any area within the state/country you live, or wish to represent.
  • Observations can only be made from within your pre-determined 17-foot (diameter) circle.
  • There's no limit to how many people can occupy one circle (other than the obvious spatial limitations). Bring some chairs. Have a picnic or barbeque. Welcome passers-by and their contributions to your list.
  • If a bird is seen or heard from within the circle but is too distant to identify, the circle can be left to get a closer look/listen to confirm the bird's identity. However, any new bird species seen or heard while confirming the original, can't be counted unless it's seen or heard from an "anchor" who stayed behind in your circle, or is seen by you when you return to your circle.
  • Tally the number of species that you observe.
  • Big Sit participants can work in shifts. No one person needs to be there throughout the whole Big Sit! The area can be left and returned to as frequently as desired, but you must be sure to return to the exact 17-foot diameter circle each time.
  • The same circle must be used for the entire Big Sit!
  • The Big Sit! will begin at 12:00am midnight and end 24 hours later.
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    After the Sit!

    If you registered for the Big Sit! through our online interface, you can LOGIN after the Sit and submit the following information by November 30, 2010:

    To submit your results on paper, please include:

  • Contact person's name (Circle Captain)
  • Full mailing address
  • Phone number (and e-mail if applicable)
  • The Big Sit! location (state, town, habitat)
  • Names of participants
  • Optional - Team name
  • Weather conditions
  • Time spent at location
  • Name of the conservation organization that would receive $500 Golden Bird prize if you win
  • Any notes or anecdotes
  • Optional - Digital image (lo-res, jpg) of your team at your Big Sit! location
  • Complete checklist of all the birds you identified

    • Checklist Information

    In your checklist, make sure the species names are the same as those used by the AOU checklist. The AOU checklist can be seen at their website. Make sure that apostrophes, hyphens, and spellings are correct. Also, please list species in taxonomic order. The AOU checklist is a good reference for that as well.

    We prefer that you enter your checklist via the online program or by email because it greatly reduces the time to compile the data and produce the final report (it also saves trees!). Your list can be an attached file (document, spreadsheet, etc.) or listed vertically in the body of the e-mail. Hardcopies can be sent via US mail. E-mail your results to bigsit@birdwatchersdigest.com or send the information to Bird Watcher's Digest, P.O. Box 110, Marietta, OH 45750

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    The Golden Bird

    What is the Golden Bird? After all of the Big Sit! results are tabulated, a bird species will be selected by random drawing from the total list of all species seen in North America. All of the circles that listed that bird will be put into another random drawing. The randomly selected winning circle wins the Golden Bird prize of $500. The winner is required to choose a non-profit, environmental organization to receive the $500 donated by Swarovski Optik. Qualifying organizations include bird clubs, Audubon chapters, land trusts, etc.

    Special thanks to Clay Taylor and Swarovski Optik for sponsoring the Golden Bird prize. Note: only U.S. and Canadian circles are eligible for the Golden Bird prize.

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