The 43rd annual World Series of Birding (WSB), organized by NJ Audubon to support conservation, will take place on Saturday, May 9, from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Over 90 teams will compete by identifying as many bird species as possible in 24 hours to raise money for environmental organizations.
The event raises money for habitat protection, with many teams focusing on New Jersey locations, including the Meadowlands, with the Hackensack RiverCreepers Dan Carola, Ray Duff, and Dave Kaplan.
It is open to all ages and skill levels, from expert teams to backyard birders. The 2026 competition has strict rules, including a protocol for “Call of Foul” or protests, which may lead to disqualification if rules are violated.
The Hackensack RiverCreepers – Dan Carola, Ray Duff & Dave Kaplan – are getting ready to participate in the World Series of Birding on May 9. The team will be working to spot as many species of birds as possible.
Every WSB dollar that is raised goes towards supporting the ongoing work and mission of Hackensack Riverkeeper, including their Utzinger-Vellekamp Scholarship, which is fully funded thanks to a very special family of RiverCreeper fans.
There are two ways to help support the RiverCreepers, which can be found listed below.
Make a per-species pledge. Send an email to hugh@hackensackriverkeeper.org and you will receive a reply back after the WSB with their species list and your donation amount (your pledge x our results).
Make an earmarked WSB donation. This can be found on the the Hackensack Riverkeeper’s website. It is a secure and dedicated page particularly for World Series donation.
Regardless of the competition, the overwhelming goal for all teams participating in the World Series of Birding is to draw raise awareness for wildlife conservation. The money raised will help fund organizations that help protect our environment.