By Katrina Hageman
The fourth annual Spring Birding Campus Challenge, hosted by the Iowa State University Birding Club, is in full swing as students race to spot different species of birds.
The birding challenge began on March 22 and goes through May 2. There are 14 teams of three participating, totaling 42 faculty, undergraduate and graduate students.
“Teams were designed to include one faculty member, undergraduate and graduate student to allow participants to meet new people and learn from others’ experience,” said Kaylin Miklo, a senior in animal ecology and birding club president. “The goal in mixing teams was to give students a chance to receive guidance from others and encourage teamwork and collaboration.”
As club president, Miklo was responsible for generating challenge rules and teams, reaching out to community businesses and organizing the event.
The rules state that challenge participants can only go birding around the main campus, Pammel Woods and the Iowa State Arboretum. Each team member individually keeps track of how many different bird species they see. For each bird species observed, they are awarded one point. Teams who collectively earn the most points will receive prizes donated by businesses around Ames.
The Spring Birding Campus Challenge promotes birding within the club, allows participants to work with new people and motivates students to go outside and enjoy nature.
“Research has shown that being outside improves mental health, especially for students,” Miklo said. “The challenge is the perfect time for students to take a break from school and upcoming finals.”
The club welcomes students of all skill levels to participate in the challenge. Participants can be competitive or use the experience as a fun activity to learn more about nature and birds. They can also choose to bird watch individually or with their teams.
The event has grown over the years as more students and campus members become aware of it. The event has become a tradition many people look forward to throughout the year.
If you want to get involved with the annual Spring Birding Campus Challenge, email Birding Club advisor Mike Rentz at msrentz@iastate.edu.