PETERSBURG, Pa. — Whether you pay close attention to the pair of cardinals at your feeder each morning, or the robin sitting on her nest at the park, or take your binoculars on a hike to view bald eagles nesting across the lake — you are a birder!
Birders of all skill levels from Pennsylvania and around the world are invited to participate in the Shaver’s Creek Birding Cup beginning at 7 p.m. ET Friday, May 1, through 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 2. The inclusive, 24-hour event combines friendly competition, citizen science, philanthropy and a shared love of nature.
The registration deadline to participate in the Birding Cup is 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 26. Donations to fund a team in support of the Hawks View Meadow Observation Platform can be made until the end of June.
Proceeds support Hawks View Meadow Observation Platform
The Birding Cup has evolved during its nearly 30 years in existence and has grown to be the largest annual fundraiser for Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, which is part of Penn State Outreach. In the six years since it began including a global participant category, more than 419 unique global species have been recorded.
Funds raised during this year’s event will provide support for the Hawks View Meadow Observation Platform, which contributes to Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center’s mission of expanding access to discovery and outdoor learning. Made possible because of the generosity of the Hamer Foundation, the platform continues the foundation’s impact at Shaver’s Creek, where it made the lead gift to the center’s transformative renovation and expansion project in 2016.
Joshua Potter, the center’s associate director of operations, said the additional funding will help support interpretive exhibits and observation opportunities for birders, school groups and visitors.
“The Hawks View Meadow Observation Platform provides an incredible vantage point for visitors that is 20-30 feet above the ground, overlooking the trees, meadow, wetlands and lake. Where those habitats meet is fascinating because it becomes an area of very high biodiversity as species that specialize in one habitat tend to go toward the edges where they can take advantage of the resources that are in the adjacent habitat,” Potter said. “The funds raised will help tell the story of the platform, and more importantly, what you might see when you are on it.”
Birding Cup categories
Teams located in central Pennsylvania can compete in the Shaver’s Creek Birding Cup in one of several categories: “Birding Cup,” “County Cup,” “Birding Boot,” “Potter Mug” and “Micro Cup.” Competitive teams must secure at least $200 in pledges.
Birding enthusiast Julia Plummer and her team, the “Teatime Towhees,” have been competing in the Birding Cup since 2014. Each year, they vie for the “County Cup” as they focus on birds found in Centre County.
“We begin the Birding Cup on Friday at Bald Eagle State Park because it has the best potential for the most species diversity in Centre County. On Saturday, we usually return there in the morning, then work our way through several other quality birding spots, like Dreibelbis Birding Area near Julian and Scotia Barrens outside of State College,” Plummer said. “My team isn't particularly competitive. We'd rather have a good time and enjoy the birding. Some teams stay out late into the night to get owls. We'd rather get a good night sleep, so we tend to head in on Friday after getting Woodcocks after sunset.”
Global Birding Cup participants
Birders can participate in the Shaver’s Creek Birding Cup from anywhere in the world as part of the “Global Community” category. Reed Moyer, who is from Halfmoon Township — which is about 13 miles southwest of State College — is a member of the “Tufted Twitmice” and has been participating for several years with teammates he met in the Peace Corps. They have joined in from locations in the United States, including Pennsylvania, Colorado, Maine and Washington, D.C., and outside the U.S. in Kenya, Guatemala and Mexico.
“I first began birding with my mom and over the years developed a strong admiration of and fascination for birds and birding. The careful listening and stalking, the identification of a new-to-me bird, or the discovery of a new call or color pattern,” Moyer said. “Some members of our team are excellent birders, others just like to spend time outdoors, but we all have a good time. It’s an exciting, relaxing and rewarding pursuit that you can do most anywhere.”
Register, donate and learn more about the guidelines for the 2026 Birding Cup on the Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center website.
Support raised through programs and events like the Birding Cup advances the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the Commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.