Last year’s winning artwork in the Kindergarten to 3rd Grade category in the state of Louisiana was Daniel He, whose artwork illustrated a Painted Bunting (1 of the 5 birds to illustrate last year).

The 2024 Songbird Art Contest is now open and accepting entries! The contest is Free to enter and open to young people aged from kindergarten through 12th grade. Entries will be accepted today through November 30th. This year’s list of 5 bird species that participants will choose from to illustrate in their artwork will include the American Goldfinch, Scarlet Tanager, Cerulean Warbler, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher – all exciting birds to illustrate. Along with their art, students in 4th grade and older will also provide a short creative writing piece related to the species they choose and its conservation.

Winners will be honored in 4 grade categories: K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. Contest results will

be announced in January 2025. A program of Wildlife Forever that is supported by the US Forest Service, the Art of Conservation Songbird Art Contest was launched to educate young people about the urgent need to protect songbirds and their required habitats. This contest provides an engaging and accessible platform for students to learn about the importance of songbirds, the dangers they face, and the actions we can take to help preserve them.

“The Songbird Art Contest fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation for the vital role

songbirds play in our ecosystems. By engaging students through art, we hope to ignite a passion for conservation that will last a lifetime,” said Addison Motta, Education and Communications Manager at Wildlife Forever.

The Songbird Art Contest helps to foster the next generation by providing programs focused on research, learning, and self-discovery. Student artists from across the nation and around the world have the opportunity to win prizes and recognition while learning about North American songbirds, their habitats, and what we can all do to help restore their populations. Students can learn more and submit entries to General 3 — Art of Conservation (theartofconservation.org)