Iowa Birding Clubs

Cy-Hawk Big Day

In the spirit of fun, competition and camaraderie with fellow Iowa birders, each fall Big Bluestem Audubon of Ames challenges the Iowa City Bird Club to a day of competitive birding! Which side will find more species of birds in this 24-hour period, Cy's or Herky's?

Cy-Hawk Trophy
Cy-Hawk Trophy
Honoring Jim DInsmore (ISU) and Tom Kent (UI)

This map shows the location of birding clubs around the state. The NASegret indicates a chapter of the National Audubon Society while the Clubsis used for independent birding and nature clubs.  Click on the icon to find the organization name and then find the details below.

Ames - Big Bluestem Audubon
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Story Tim Garner Meets on the third Thursday of each month from Sep. through May, at the Ames Public Library, just north of the main downtown business street. Chapter business meeting is held at 6:30 PM, followed by guest speaker or special program at 7 PM. Club Website
Ames - Iowa Young Birders
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Story Tyler Harms Iowa Young Birders is an independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 2011. We are committed to providing a way for all young bird­ers ages 8-18 to con­nect, meet new friends, share obser­va­tions and learn more about birds and bird­ing places through­out the state. We invite you to join field trips, work­shops, events and con­ver­sa­tions on bird­ing, habi­tat, con­ser­va­tion and more! Visit our website for all the details about how to get involved. Club Website
Cedar Rapids - Cedar Rapids Audubon
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Linn Jim Durbin Meetings: Prairiewoods at 120 E. Boyson Road, Hiawatha Club Website
Centerville - Rathbun Bird Club
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Appanoose Tom Johnson  
Davenport (Quad Cities) - Quad City Audubon
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Scott Jody Millar Geographic Area: Clinton, Scott & Muscatine Counties in Iowa; Rock Island County in Illinois Meetings: 7:00 P.M. on the 2nd Thursday of each month September through May Butterworth Center, 1105 8th Street, Moline, IL Club Website
Decorah - Upper Iowa Audubon
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Winneshiek Bruce Ventura  
Des Moines - Des Moines Audubon
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Polk Jane Clark Des Moines Audubon meetings are held the third Tuesday of the month from September through May. Meetings generally begin at 7:00 p.m. and are held at Northwest Community Center at 51st Street and Franklin Avenue. Club Website
Dubuque - Dubuque Audubon
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Dubuque Joe Tollari   Club Website
Fairfield - Southeast Iowa Audubon
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Jefferson Diane Porter  
Grinnell - Tallgrass Prairie Audubon
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Poweshiek Bob Van Ersvelde Bob Van Ersvelde h 641-236-6600 c 641-990-0626 Russ Tabbert 641-236-7309. Also includes Marshalltown
Honey Creek - Hitchcock Hawkwatch Association
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Pottawattamie Jerry Toll The Hitchcock Hawkwatch Association is the volunteer group that runs the annual Fall Hitchcock Nature Center HawkWatch (August 15- December 20) in conjunction with the Pottawattamie County Conservation Board. The Association also engages in other bird-related activities at Hitchcock Nature Center that include public "early bird" morning hikes and other monitoring of spring passerine migration, the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge Christmas Count (which includes Hitchcock Nature Center), and a semi-annual summer breeding bird survey. The Association meets twice a year-- in August and January. Newcomers are welcome. Other Contacts: Chad Graeve - chad.graeveATpottcountyDOTcom
Iowa City - Iowa City Bird Club
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Johnson Linda Quinn Meetings 3rd Thursday Sept - May Club Website
Mason City - North Iowa Nature Club
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Cerro Gordo Jacque Simon Meets the third Wednesday of each month 7:00 PM at the Lime Creek Nature Center in Mason City.
Omaha/Council Bluffs - Audubon Society of Omaha
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Pottawattamie Christine Jacobsen ASO meets the second Thursday of the month, Sept, October, November, January, February, March, April. We sponsor a metro-wide student bird art contest ages K-12 in March. We have a prairie festival at our 14 acre prairie just north of Omaha in the Loess Hills in August Information about both these events will be available at our website. Club Website
Sioux City - Loess Hills Audubon
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Woodbury Rex Rundquist   Club Website
Spirit Lake - Prairie Lakes Audubon Bird Club
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Dickinson Lee Schoenewe  
Waterloo - Prairie Rapids Audubon Society
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Black Hawk Tom Schilke Meetings: 7:00 P.M. on the 2nd Tuesday of each month September through May (except December) Meetings are being held virtually on Zoom until further notice. Mailing Address: P.O.Box 682, Waterloo, IA 50704-0682. Club Website