Utah Birding Slam
Enjoy your favorite hobby while contributing to conservation
The Utah Birding Slam is a simple way to add a little more fun to your bird-watching or "birding" — whether you're a beginner, an expert or somewhere in between.
The funds raised by the Utah Birding Slam will help support a variety of habitat improvement and research projects. These efforts will benefit many species, including the birds you enjoy watching.
The Birding Slam is a partnership between the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and multiple conservation organizations. The program is designed to:
- Encourage birders to improve their identification skills
- Increase excitement for birds and birding
- Raise money to support birds and their habitats
- Collect data for DWR conservation efforts
- Create friendly competition among birders
How do you sign up for a birding slam?
It's easy to get started:
- Go online (or to any license agent) to pay for your registration. Each Birding Slam registration allows you to complete one of the slams listed below. The entry fee per registration is:
- $20 for adults (18 and older)
- $10 for youth (17 and younger)
- Create a free eBird account — if you don't have one already — to submit your slam checklists.
- Go birding and complete the slam of your choice. Each slam has its own unique set of tasks to complete, but you will need to submit an online form, which will be live soon, and an eBird checklist for each slam.
- Once you finish a slam, you will receive the reward listed for each slam.
Where to find bird species
You can find hotspots and species distribution maps in the eBird app.
General rules
- You must follow all current state and federal wildlife regulations and respect all state, federal and private property boundaries.
- No use of electronic calls.
- Birds must be conclusively identified by sight or sound observations.
- Take a selfie while you're birding (or have a companion take your photo), especially in regional locations. Include the photo in your checklist. (Photos are not mandatory, but they are helpful.)
- All participants, especially Beginner Slam participants, must create an eBird account. (The account is free, but individuals between the ages of 13–17 will need parental consent to upload content to eBird.)
- New birders are encouraged to watch the free eBird Essentials course (specifically the Share Your Observations video).
- Be ethical: respect the birds, especially during nesting season, and don't harass other birders.
- Birders of any age can participate. (Youth participants will need their parents or guardians to help them complete slams and submit their data.)
- Birds may be counted as long as they appear on the current Utah Ornithological Society (UOS) checklist.
Completing a slam
Slams are completed on the honor system. If it's feasible, you can submit a photo of yourself as you are completing each of the slams and submit the photos along with your checklists online.
To complete a slam, you must:
- Fill out the simple slam submission form on the DWR website.
- Indicate which slam you completed, including providing the registration number and Customer ID from your license, and answer the required questions.
- Be sure to include a link to your eBird checklist before hitting submit. (Submitting photos isn't mandatory, but it is helpful.)
- Upon completion, you will receive a confirmation email, letting you know you were successful in submitting your form.
- We will review your submission and data, and once confirmed, we will send you your slam reward.
Rewards
For each slam you complete, you'll earn a uniquely designed enamel pin to showcase your birding skills!
- Beginner Slam: American robin pin
- Backyard Slam: House finch pin
- County Slam: Western tanager pin
- Wetland Slam: Black-necked stilt pin
- High-Elevation Slam: Black rosy-finch pin
- Ultimate Slam: Flammulated owl pin
Slams
Check out the different slam requirements and choose the slam that's right for you.
Beginner Slam
This slam is for the birder who is just starting out. It's a great introduction to birding and using eBird.
Backyard Slam (beginner-level challenge)
This slam requires you to locate and identify some of the bird species nearest you.
County Slam (intermediate-level challenge)
This slam involves finding and identifying birds in many of Utah's 29 counties. Note: Bird species can be repeated from county to county.
Wetland Slam (intermediate-level challenge)
This slam involves identifying birds in and around our diverse wetland habitats statewide. Marshes, especially around the Great Salt Lake ecosystem, provide valuable food and habitat for thousands of migratory birds. These bird species range from various shorebirds and wading birds to migratory waterfowl and songbirds found in nearby vegetation.
Ultimate Slam (advanced-level challenge)
This slam involves looking for species of greatest interest to biologists.
High-elevation Slam (advanced-level challenge)
Find bird species 7,000 feet above sea level or higher.
Frequently asked questions
A: No, all eBird lists and bird sightings must have occurred on or after Sept. 1, 2025 and after the $20 registration purchase in order to count toward slam completion.
A: Yes, if you are an adult, you need to purchase a $20 registration before you begin working to complete requirements for any of the six slams. (Youth slam registration costs $10.)
A: No, there is no set deadline or timeline for completing a slam's requirements. (You can take as long as you need to, whether it's 1 month or 10 years.)
A: You must be at least 13 years old to create an eBird account. Younger participants will need assistance from a parent or guardian to help create an eBird account in order to participate in the slam.
A: Yes, you must use eBird for every slam as part of the completion requirements. By using eBird, you provide regional, state and federal biologists with crucial data and information on bird populations, locations and habitat needs.
A: Not at all! Everyone from beginners to advanced-level birders can participate in this slam. You just need to be able to see and/or hear the bird species and properly identify them in order to complete your eBird checklist and meet slam requirements.
Helpful tip: You may want to invest in a decent pair of binoculars and a birding field guide. Many of the Western bird field guides contain excellent photos and information to help you get started. There are also some outstanding bird-identification apps you can download free of charge.