If you like listening to birds then you’re going to love this new challenge created by the bird app extraordinaires at eBird. 

You’re invited to participate in the first-ever eBird Sound Recording Challenge for Latin America and the Caribbean!

 The challenge runs until August 31st, and here’s what you need to do: 

1. Head outside
2. Listen to the birds around you
3. Use your cell phone or other recording gear to record the songs and/or calls of nearby birds*
4. Upload recordings of 20 or more bird species to eBird to have a chance to win a fantastic prize

*Note that it is not necessary that your recordings are during the challenge period—they can be recordings that you have previously made anywhere in Latin America or the Caribbean.

THE PRIZE:

A BRAND NEW SOUND RECORDING KIT!!!! The kit includes a Zoom F1 recorder and a Synco microphone. Our eardrums are tingling just thinking of the crisp audio quality you can get with this fantastic combo. 

But you must follow these rules for your recordings to qualify: 

1. Uncompressed files (WAV type)
2. Duration of more than 10 seconds
3. Add at least some metadata, like: age/sex, additional species heard, behaviors, equipment used to record, other sounds.

Most importantly, birds sound better when they are not stressed, so please don’t disturb them. Here is how you upload media to your checklist and some more sound recording tips  from Macaulay Library. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to participate and contribute to our knowledge of birds. GOOD LUCK!