The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is hosting its first-ever birding contest, open to all skill levels, running throughout 2026.

The 2026 New Mexico Birding Big Year birding contest officially took flight Thursday. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish challenges New Mexicans to identify as many bird species as possible in ...

In birding parlance, the notion of a Big Year can mean different things to different people. In 2004, Mark Obmascik authored the nonfiction book “The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl ...

New Mexico is home to 550 bird species, and the newly named Department of Wildlife is celebrating that by challenging bird ...

The competition is year-round, running from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, where competitors must identify as many bird species as possible. There are over 550 bird species that have been observed throughout the ...

CELEBRATES THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY. THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISH IS ANNOUNCING ITS FIRST EVER BIG YEAR BIRDING COMPETITION, SO IT CHALLENGES THOSE WHO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS TO IDENTIFY AS ...

Bird watchers ready to take on a challenge in the new year? Take part in the New Mexico Department of Wildlife’s 2026 New Mexico Birding Big Year competition! The competition is year-round, running ...