Sponsor by December 10 to receive a free holiday gift—a Scarlet Tanager tree ornament!
We estimate that 240 species of birds will be confirmed as breeding in Wisconsin over the five-year period of Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas II. To help us raise critical funding to support this intensive effort, we offer birders the opportunity to “sponsor” their favorite species through our popular Sponsor-a-Species campaign.
NEW SPECIES ADDED TO THE LIST
As we find new species that are possibly breeding or confirmed as breeding in our state, we add them to the list! After the 2015 breeding season we added Mississippi Kite, Laughing Gull, Great Tit and European Goldfinch, and this year we’ve added Canvasback, Summer Tanager, and White-winged Dove. Each of these species — and many more — are still available for sponsorship!
You can now choose new species to sponsor that were not available for the first atlas! Photos by Scott Weberpal, Dick Baxter, Kevin DeBoer.
HOLIDAY ORNAMENT SPECIAL
This holiday season, we’re adding a limited-time gift offer to our Sponsor-a-Species program. Sponsor a species at any level by December 10 and receive a glass ornament of our mascot species, the Scarlet Tanager. Hang this beautiful reminder of your love of birds on your tree, or give as a gift to someone special!
WHY SUPPORT THE ATLAS?
Wisconsin has a proud tradition of being at the forefront of bird and wildlife conservation. However, the populations of many bird species in our state are currently in decline. Even worse, non-game species are a decreasing priority for wildlife agencies. To conserve our birds, we need a better understanding of their current status and distribution. This is an opportunity for you to be part of a larger project — possibly the largest citizen science project ever in the state — and one that will inform conservation and protect birds and wildlife in Wisconsin for decades to come.
HOW ARE YOUR SPONSORSHIP FUNDS USED?
Although the Atlas is supported by our strong corps of over 1,100 volunteer birders, it is vitally important that we engage seasonal professionals to ensure statewide coverage. Funding generated from the Sponsor-a-Species campaign is used to hire seasonal ornithologists to survey remote and hard-to-access priority blocks throughout the state where there are few volunteers. The cost of these seasonal hires will approach $85,000 in 2017 alone!
LEAVE YOUR NAME ON ORNITHOLOGICAL HISTORY
Through Sponsor-a-Species, you can sponsor one or more bird species of your choice for one to five years. The cost is as little as $100 per year! If you choose to sponsor a species for the entire five-year period (starting at $500), your name — or the name of someone you wish to honor — will be associated with that species in all Atlas forthcoming publications and in the final print- and web-based versions of the Breeding Bird Atlas. Various “tiers” of sponsorships are available; the rarest and most iconic bird species can be sponsored at higher levels. We make the program user-friendly, as well. You can pay sponsorships in installments over the remaining three years of the Atlas.
Since its inception in spring 2015, Sponsor-a-Species has already raised almost $120,000!
MANY SPECIES STILL AVAILABLE
With more than 60 species remaining to be sponsored, there’s something for everybody, from Wild Turkey or American White Pelican to Yellow-throated Warbler, from Mississippi Kite or Least Bittern to even the ubiquitous Rock Pigeon. Choose your favorite.
Visit http://wsobirds.org/sponsor-a-species now to help support this vital project. Remember, pledge your support by December 10 to receive our special limited-time offer of a beautiful Scarlet Tanager ornament.