The Race to Save Birds Get counting 2026
Get sponsored for every bird you see on 9 May, and win the race to save them.
More than half of all bird species globally are in decline. They are in trouble but they are not gone yet, and this is the race we really need to win.
How it works
Anyone can take part in this free challenge. You only need to go outside, record the birds you see and ask your family and friends to back you. It’s easy and has a lasting impact.
- Set up your fundraiser
It takes less than five minutes to set up and start making a difference for birds. - Pick your location
This can be in your garden, a local park, a trail or bird reserve (or a combination of all of them). - Share your fundraiser early
To set yourself up for an unbeatable Race to Save Birds Challenge, ask friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you. Share your plans to fundraise for BirdLife International and why it matters to help birds and nature thrive. - Bask in bird song knowing you’re making a difference
The joy we feel watching birds is inseparable from the responsibility to protect them. By joining the Race to Save Birds Challenge, you’re doing your part to power conservation across mountains, oceans, forests and deserts – protecting birds wherever they go.
Bobolink by Ray Hennessy/Shutterstock.com
The impact so far and why it matters
Our work has helped over 700 threatened bird species survive, but we can’t do it alone.
Your sightings provide the crucial data we need to protect even more birds worldwide and the habitats they depend upon.
It’s why thousands of people around the world dedicate the second Saturday of May and October each year, to record as many bird species as they can in a 24hr period — demonstrating the power of birds to bring people together.
More participants are joining in this global celebration every year and even supercharging their impact by raising funds to support global conservation.
Birds are counting on you, so join fellow enthusiasts during this Race to Save Birds Challenge and make a difference.
Find out what’s in your local flyway
Soaring across migration routes called flyways, like super highways in the sky, billions of birds cross deserts, mountains and oceans during migration.
As part of the Race to Save Birds Challenge, find out more about where the birds you spot are flying and why! Check out the map below to see where your local flyway leads.
Can you spot one of our ambassador species on May 9?
AFRICAN-EURASIAN FLYWAY
One of the world’s greatest flyways, the African-Eurasian flyway links cultures, landscapes and people across the great continents of Africa, Europe and Asia. With three major routes from the Artic to Southern Africa, the birds on this flyway are some of the most persecuted on the planet, with at least 10% threatened with extinction. BirdLife International and its partners throughout the region are working tirelessly to combat major threats including the illegal killing of birds, collisions with energy infrastructure and habitat loss.
Hero Species
Introducing the White Stork: Known as the bringer of life, hope and good fortune, these majestic birds love people and create huge nests on trees, poles or rooftops! After this painstaking effort, these birds make sure to return to their nests every year. White Storks are no stranger to the dangers on this flyway, affected over the past decade by habitat loss, collisions with power lines, and hunting.
500+
Species
100+
Countries
80+
BirdLife Partners
CENTRAL ASIAN FLYWAY
Although it’s the shortest of the world’s flyways, the Central Asia flyway is used by more than 600 migratory bird species. It also covers 30 countries, ranging from the cold of Siberia in the north to the tropical islands of the Maldives – some birds migrating in this area cross the mighty Himalayas many times throughout their lifetime! More than 48 species that use the Central Asian Flyway are globally threatened and 40% are in decline. BirdLife Partners in the region work together to provide safe havens for migratory species, fighting the impacts of hunting, habitat degradation, human disturbance and climate change.
Hero Species
With striking black stripes and a bright yellow beak, the Bar-headed Goose is an impressive migratory bird! Between 97,000-118,000 Bar-headed Geese cross the Himalayas (including over Mount Everest) several times throughout their lives. They have special physical adaptations to survive this incredible altitude and choose specific times of day to fly when the air is cooler and denser.
600+
Species
30+
Countries
8
BirdLife Partners
EAST ASIAN-AUSTRALASIAN FLYWAY
The East Asian-Australasian Flyway is the most densely populated flyway in the world, supporting almost 2 billion people! It also incredibly species-rich with 600 bird species traversing across its 37 countries from Alaska to Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. BirdLife International’s Flyways Initiative with the Asian Development Bank will mobilise $3 billion to protect 50 priority wetland sites within the zone, benefitting both the migratory birds and nearly 200 million people who rely on these ecosystems for their livelihoods.
Hero Species
Although the East Asian-Australasian Flyway hosts a huge array of birds, you can also find some of the most endangered birds in the world on this unique flyway. The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is a gorgeous wader, so named for its uniquely shaped beak specially designed for feeding on marine invertebrates! Despite being less than 800 spoon-billed sand pipers left in the world, a huge conservation effort to save them is underway so there is still hope yet for spoonie!
600+
Species
37
Countries
15+
BirdLife Partners
AMERICAS FLYWAY
The Americas Flyway is the most species-rich in the world, impressively hosting over 2000 different bird species! Spanning the continent from Tierra del Fuego in Southern Argentina to the Arctic Circle in the North, the Americas Flyway contains three migratory routes that cross 35 countries. 90 species on this flyway are globally threatened. BirdLife International is working with Audubon (BirdLife Partner in the USA) and CAF (The Development Bank of Latin America) to pioneer blended financing to protect vast areas across the flyway. The Americas Flyway initiative will mobilise funding to protect 30 sites across the migration routes, protecting birds, their habitats and the people who depend on them.
Hero Species
The Rufous Hummingbird is a small but mighty migrant! At just 3 inches long, this brightly coloured bird flies over 3000 miles on their migration journey! They also have a fantastic memory, remembering where to find food even one year later, and are fiercely territorial fighting off larger species that venture too close.
2000+
Species
35
Countries
14+
BirdLife Partners
What is the Race to Save Birds Challenge?
Race to Save Birds is a global fundraising challenge hosted by BirdLife International that invites birdwatchers to turn days like World Migratory Bird Day and Global Big Day into real, lasting impact for birds.
As you head out to watch, count or celebrate birds, you can also raise funds to protect the flyways, habitats and species that make these incredible journeys possible. By setting up a personal fundraising page, your birding becomes a way to support conservation efforts across borders — helping birds survive long after the day itself is over.
It’s simple: you go birding, share your fundraiser, and help give migratory birds a fighting chance. All while connecting with nature and uniting with like-minded people around the world.
Stay up to date
Sign up to receive the latest bird conservation news. You’ll also receive updates about our projects, science and other ways to get involved including fundraising.
Thank you for your support, we are committed to protecting your personal information and privacy. For more information on how we use your data, please see our Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe from emails at any time by using the link in the footer of any email from us.
