TWO birds. ONE final. YOU Decide who Takes the Crown.

Voting starts Weds! Join us on IG and FB for Condor vs. Burrowing Owl.

Trouble viewing this e-mail? Try our web version. Burrowing Owl - Birds of La Plata (London: E.P. Dutton & Co., 1920) | Public Domain (Biodiversity Heritage Library/Flickr)⁣ | California Condor - Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées d’oiseaux (Strasbourg: Chez Legras Imbert et Comp., 1838) | Public Domain (Biodiversity Heritage Library/Flickr) TWO birds. ONE final. YOU Decide who Takes the Crown. Dear KAREN, Eight birds entered Audubon California’s Bird of the Year tournament, and supporters cast thousands of votes across the opening rounds and semifinals. The matchups were close, the competition was fierce, and plenty of voters found themselves torn between two birds they love. Your votes carried four contenders into the semifinals: Western Snowy Plover, California Condor, California Brown Pelican, and Western Burrowing Owl. Now, after all those tough choices, just TWO birds remain: California Condor vs. Western Burrowing Owl! Voting begins this Wednesday, September 30 at 9:00 AM PT and closes next Wednesday, October 7 at 11:59 PM PT. Which bird will be crowned California’s Bird of the Year? YOU decide! During the final, you can vote by: Commenting on any game-related Instagram or Facebook post, Voting through the polls in our Instagram Stories  Using the voting form linked in our Instagram bio and in the links section of our Facebook page. If you’re not on social media, you can still vote using our online voting form here.  You can use any or all of these methods to support your favorite. Follow along, share the final game with a friend, and tell us why you’re on Team Condor or Team Burrowing Owl! As we celebrate Audubon California’s 30th anniversary, this final is another chance to discover the birds, habitats, and conservation work that make California extraordinary. We can’t wait to see which bird you choose. Follow along here! Missed a matchup? Catch up on the California Bird of the Year buzz! The tournament has energized passionate Bird Lovers and creative Audubon California staff campaigns! Actual California Condors even held a Zoom meeting to strategize their Bird of the Year campaign. Yes, you can seriously watch it HERE. And if a zombie apocalypse is on your mind, get survival advice from the Western Burrowing Owl HERE.  Before you vote in the final, explore more staff pitches that got our community talking: California Condor: Learn about this species’ remarkable comeback.  Western Burrowing Owl: Find out how this owl uses dung to attract food to its burrow.  Tricolored Blackbird: See why this highly social bird is apparently besties with cows.  Western Snowy Plover: Meet the F1 shorebird champion.  Surf Scoter: See how this weird duck inspired equally weird (and wonderful) artwork.  Least Bell’s Vireo: Find out why this little songbird is a Taurus.  California Brown Pelican: See exactly how this bird is capable of plunge-diving for their meals without breaking their neck.  Western Sandpiper: Hear about the superfood they slurp up to fuel such epic migrations.  Join our social community today! Connect with us Audubon California 1901 Harrison Street, Suite 1450 Oakland, CA 94612 USA (415) 644-4600 | www.audubon.org/california © 2026 Audubon California Update your email preferences or unsubscribe