News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
A two-month Birding Competition, The Big Year Event underway at Burgess Falls State Park.
The way to win the competition is simple, observe as many different species of birds as you can. Burgess Falls Park Ranger Hannah Morgan said that Burgess Falls and Window Cliffs State Natural Area have various species of birds.
“What we are trying to do is get people to get out and actually just stop and take a look,” Morgan said. “And notice those differences between the birds and notice that they are all not the same, because the habitat over there is just incredible for so many different species.”
Participants can pick up a checklist from the park’s office and check off a species once they spot one. Morgan said they host the competition twice a year due to more birds migrating to the area.
“We have a lot of year-round residents that are native species,” Morgan said. “But in the winter time, we also get a tremendous amount of migratory species that come through and those are even more special to see just because they don’t stay very long.”
Morgan said the competition has been a hit as many people come to participate.
“We have a lot of different people that will come in,” Morgan said. “Maybe not even at the start of the competition. Some people will jump in halfway through or three-quarters of the way through the competition and they will still fill out a majority of their cards.”
Morgan said the park has roughly 100 different species of birds. This is the second year the park has thrown the competition.
The competition will end on August 31. Morgan said the park has plans to continue the competition and will start preparing for the winter Big Year Event after the competition.
