By Nancy Nabak, President, Bay Area Bird Club
Green Bay became one of the inaugural Bird Cities in 2010, then immediately got to work to determine urban bird conservation needs in the community.
Knowing key issues would need funding, Nancy Nabak and Adam Sinkula created the Big Bay Birdathon fundraiser in 2012. Ten years later, nearly $25,000 has gone toward addressing bird protection in northeastern Wisconsin and statewide.
Funds raised during this competitive 24-hour event have supported urban pollinator gardens, species sponsorships for the second Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas, Red-shouldered Hawk DNA research, Motus tower migration research, children’s binocular kits for a botanical garden, prairie habitat restoration, Chimney Swift education efforts, and shoreline preservation in a conservation corridor near Suamico, just north of Green Bay. In all, 24 different projects have been funded through Bird City Green Bay and the Big Bay Birdathon.
The local Bay Area Bird Club is heavily invested in the birdathon, which makes it fun as a club event and allows members to take ownership in making a difference. The birdathon also coincides with World Migratory Bird Day, held annually in May alongside the Springs Wings celebration sponsored by the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary. The event has included songbird banding, children’s banding demonstrations, birding tips, and educational birds.
Tell us about your community!
There are now more than 100 Bird City communities in Wisconsin, and each one is making a difference for bird conservation efforts in the state. We want to shine a light on these special efforts. We invite you to share stories of your community's efforts to make a difference for Wisconsin’s birds. Write your story in 400-600 words and send it to newsletter editor Carl Schwartz at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Don't forget to share photos illustrating your work.
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