Last November, Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine wrapped up its second annual Bird Bingo contest, a months-long game in which participants attempt to achieve a “bingo” by spotting birds listed on one of several regional bingo cards or the statewide card. Ninety-nine participants played the game, earning 588 bingos and seeing 2,650 birds total. All participants who sent in a card received a sticker, and one lucky winner was drawn to receive the grand prize — four passes to Del Rio’s annual Birding the Border Festival.
This month, the magazine is kicking off the third annual Bird Bingo competition. To play, you can use the statewide card or download a statewide or regional card at texasbirdbingo.com. When you see any bird pictured on your card, mark it with an X, or whatever symbol you like. When you’ve marked off a row of birds in any of three directions, horizontally, vertically or diagonally, you’ve got a bird bingo.
Once you have a bingo (or several), take a photo of your card and email it to the address listed at the top of the card. For the statewide card in the magazine, that’s allthebirds@texasbirdbingo.com. Each bingo is one entry, so you can submit several entries on one card. A blackout (entire card full) on a regional card is five entries. A blackout on the statewide card is 25 entries.
Birding is rewarding on its own, but we have some great prizes lined up for two participants. When Bird Bingo closes at the end of November, we will draw two winners at random who will receive gift certificates for a custom half-day birding tour for up to four people courtesy of nature tour service Busy-Birding.
To find more information and download regional cards, visit texasbirdbingo.com. The game runs from the issue date of this magazine through the end of November 2026, so grab a pen or pencil and get birding!
