This year’s Twitchathon aims to continue the support given in the 2011 and 2013 Twitchathon’s to the Powerful Owl Project. It is intended that the additional funds will enable BirdLife Australia to extend the project for a sixth breeding season.  Using citizen science and a team of amazing volunteers, the Powerful Owl project has monitored Powerful Owls (Ninox strenua) in Greater Sydney for the last five years, providing detailed information on breeding success, habitat use, mortality rates and diet of these threatened birds. 

To get involved in the 2015 NSW & ACT Twitchathon, please contact Wendy Fox at southernnsw@birdlife.org.au or visit the Birdlife Australia website http://birdlife.org.au/locations/birdlife-southern-nsw/projects-initiatives-sn

So, what is the twitchathon? As seen on the ABC documentary, "Chasing Birds", the twitchathon is an annual event run by Birdlife Australia where teams compete to see or hear as many birds as possible in a 24 hour period. By racing all over NSW, the top teams record in excess of 200 species, but of course there can only be one winner! This year, all proceeds will go towards the Powerful Owl Project: http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/surveys/Powerful-Owl-Project

Donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible in Australia. Receipts issued by Justgiving should be retained for taxation purposes.