What is The Great Texas Birding Classic?
The Great Texas Birding Classic (GTBC), sponsored by the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, is a friendly, but serious birding for conservation tournament. It is held each year during April to coincide with the spectacular spring bird migration in Texas. During the tournament, teams vie to see who can spot and record the most bird species in a given time period. The adult teams with the highest species counts win the privilege of choosing the conservation projects that will be awarded Conservation Grant Grand Prizes.
To date, the GTBC has contributed $578,000 directly to avian habitat conservation along the Texas gulf coast through the Conservation Grant funding. Prior to each year’s competition, organizations submit conservation project proposals to win funding through the grants awarded by the winning teams.
Mission Statement
To increase appreciation, understanding and conservation of birds along the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail through education, recreation, nature tourism and conservation fundraising.
Why is Bird Habitat Conservation Important?
Currently, 630 species of birds have been documented in Texas. Over 400 species can be found along the Texas coast during spring migration. All of these birds are present due to the highly diverse habitats along the Texas coast. Each year we watch more and more habitat being significantly altered. Forty years of bird population data from Christmas Bird Counts and Breeding Bird Surveys were analyzed by National Audubon to determine bird population status. Since 1967 the average population of the common birds in steepest decline has fallen by 68 percent; some individual species nose-dived as much as 80 percent. All 20 birds on the national Common Birds in Decline list lost at least half their populations in just four decades.
These findings point to serious problems with both local habitats and national environmental trends. Only citizen action can make a difference for the birds and the state of our future.
While conservation organizations and agencies are working harder than ever to preserve habitat, we all have resource limitations. It is the support and generosity of corporations, communities, local businesses and caring individuals that enable additional habitat preservation. Working together, we are making a difference.
For additional information please go to the Texas Parks & Wildlife website or contact Tournament Coordinator Carol Jones, telephone (979) 480-0999. If you would be interested in purchasing posters or T-shirts from previous Birding Classics, please visit our Nature Store.
Click here for a booklet about the past several years of conservation cash grand prize project funding.
