--- title: Big Day 2022 --- [![Cornell Lab of Ornithology](https://dl.allaboutbirds.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Lab%20Logos/cornell-lab-logo_full%20name_2023.png?width=350&height=49&name=cornell-lab-logo_full%20name_2023.png "Cornell Lab of Ornithology")](http://www.allaboutbirds.org) [![Illustration of Scarlet Tanagers by Liz Wahid](https://dl.allaboutbirds.org/hubfs/Big-Day-Liz_Wahid_bannerwithbutton.jpg "Illustration of Scarlet Tanagers by Liz Wahid")](https://give.birds.cornell.edu/page/103191/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=EXXXXX01C)   ## What is Big Day? --- ## Birding in the Big Apple BIG DAY, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s 24-hour birding marathon and our biggest fundraiser for bird conservation, is headed to New York City on Saturday, May 14!   This year, the Lab's expert birders on Team Sapsucker will travel by foot, bike, subway–even ferry–on a mission to find at least 100 bird species in *a single day, *all while raising critical funds for bird conservation. They'll listen for warblers in Central Park, scour the Hudson and East River shores for seabirds and shorebirds, and ferry to Randall’s Island to find egrets and herons in the wetlands.  ---   ![Collage of Scarlet Tanager, Wood Duck, American Kestrels, and Yellow-breasted Chat](https://dl.allaboutbirds.org/hubfs/2022%20Big%20Day%20landing%20page%20bird%20collage.png "Collage of Scarlet Tanager, Wood Duck, American Kestrels, and Yellow-breasted Chat") All photos taken in New York City. Top row: Scarlet Tanager by Ryan Zucker/Macaulay Library, Wood Duck by Dimitris Salas/Macaulay Library. Bottom row: American Kestrels by Adam Cunningham/Macaulay Library, Yellow-breasted Chat by Tim Healy/Macaulay Library ## Why Urban Birding? - **Cities are filled with birds! **When you think of city birds, pigeons, starlings, and sparrows probably come to mind. But urban areas are rich with birds of all feathers–did you know cities support 20% of the world’s bird species? - **Cities play a vital role in migration. **From thrushes to vireos, flycatchers to warblers, migratory species rely on urban centers for stopover habitat to rest during long and hazardous journeys. - **Birding is for everyone, everywhere. **Cities may not be known as birders' paradises, but Team Sapsucker is out to prove that people everywhere–including in cities–are surrounded by the beauty of birds. ---   ## How You Can Help Team Sapsucker is determined to make BIG DAY 2022 a success for birds–but they can’t do it alone. Birds, especially species that rely on city habitats, need transformative conservation solutions to combat pervasive threats like climate change, pollution, and migration hazards.   Thanks to Cornell Lab supporters, we’re already making strides for birds in cities and beyond through initiatives like Lights Out, which has partnered with 30 cities (and counting) around the U.S. to turn lights out at night and prevent hundreds of thousands of deadly window collisions every year.    You can help power important work like Lights Out for the year ahead by [supporting Team Sapsucker's Big Day quest for bird conservation.](https://give.birds.cornell.edu/page/103191/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=EXXXXX01C)   > "Big Day is a moment when we raise our eyes to the sky in appreciation of the great spring migration. It’s a celebration of the Lab’s continued commitment to the protection of birds everywhere." ![Chris Wood headshot](https://dl.allaboutbirds.org/hubfs/Fundraising%20(pre-Concord%20Direct)/Big%20Day%202018%20Email%20Images/Chris-Wood-Email-4-Big-Day-225x308.jpg) Chris Wood Team Sapsucker Captain [![Give a Gift for Birds](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/95627/a9fae90b-0093-45ec-af4c-6eb0e78c61a9.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/95627/a9fae90b-0093-45ec-af4c-6eb0e78c61a9) ---   ## Meet Team Sapsucker Our Big Day team is filled with birding veterans and conservation superstars, with hands in many of the Cornell Lab's most important projects and tools, including BirdCast, eBird, Macaulay Library, Merlin Bird ID... the list goes on!   Cheer on Team Sapsucker by following their progress on May 14 using our [Big Day 2022 eBird Trip Report](https://ebird.org/tripreport/44184), which will provide live updates throughout the day on species the team has recorded.   Take a look through our [New York City Big Day checklist](https://dl.allaboutbirds.org/hubfs/Big%20Day%20FY22%20Checklist%20D1.pdf?hsLang=es) for a sneak peek at the species they hope to spot during their 24-hour birding blitz. ![Members of Team Sapsucker](https://dl.allaboutbirds.org/hubfs/BigDay2022-TeamSapsucker-stacked.png "Members of Team Sapsucker") *Members of Team Sapsucker. **Top row: Ian Owens, Jessie Barry, Heather Wolff. Bottom row: Jenna Curtis, Chris Wood, Andrew Farnsworth* --- ## Take a Trip Down Big Day Memory Lane Flip through pictures taken by Team Sapsucker members from recent Big Days! Members of Team Sapsucker birding on Big Day 2020 Ovenbird by Ian Davies from Big Day 2020 Team Sapsucker in Colombia on Big Day 2018 House Wren by Leo Sack from Big Day 2021 Straight-billed Woodcreeper by Drew Weber from Big Day 2018 Ruby-crowned Kinglet from Big Day 2020 Members of Team Sapsucker birding on Big Day 2020 Black-and-white Warbler from Big Day 2020 Sparkling Violetear by Drew Weber from Big Day 2018 Members of Team Sapsucker birding in the snow on Big DAy 2020 Least Flycatcher from Big Day 2020 Team Sapsucker members scanning the Caribbean from the coast of Colombia on Big Day 2018 Blue-headed Vireo from Big Day 2020 Header Image Photo Credit: Scarlet Tanager illustration by Liz Wahid, 2022 Bartels Science Illustrator [Privacy Policy](http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Page.aspx?pid=1635)