Welcome to an exciting new cycle of the Bird Art Contest! To get started, take flight into the Rules and Guidelines — newly standardized across all Bird Art and Fish Art Contests.

If you live in the states of Iowa or South Carolina, you have a dedicated Bird Art Contest State Host. This means your State Host may require additional rules to tailor your program to the feathered friends who call your state home. More information can be found on your state’s unique submission form above.

• Students create and submit one entry (e.g., drawing, painting, collage) by the annual deadline for the Bird Art Contest: November 30 (Winners Announced Late Winter)

• Open worldwide to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18) across five grade divisions:

  • Kindergarten (Ages 5-6)

  • 1st – 3rd Grade (Ages 6 – 9)

  • 4th – 6th Grade (Ages 9 – 12)

  • 7th – 9th Grade (Ages 12 – 15)

  • 10th – 12th Grade (Ages 15 – 18)

• For U.S. students in the 4th – 12th Grade Divisions, each entry must include both an original artwork and a creative writing piece.

• For international students and for U.S. students in K – 3rd Grade Divisions, creative writing is optional and NOT required.

• All entries must be submitted through the online submission form, which is updated annually on the webpage for each contest: Bird Art Contest and Fish Art Contest.

• Students must follow all contest guidelines, including guidelines outlined in Wildlife Forever’s Rules & Guidelines and, if applicable, geographically specific guidelines.

• Before beginning your artwork, please review the online submission form for the most complete and up-to-date details. For example, some U.S. states host the Bird Art and/or Fish Art Contest with state-specific rules, such as eligible species lists, artwork size/orientation guidelines, or mailing requirements.

• Previous entries to the Art of Conservation Bird Art or Fish Art Contests are NOT eligible for re-submission in future contest years; students must submit a new original entry.

• Students may enter art submitted to a contest or organization external to Art of Conservation, if permissible by the other contest’s rules. Example: A student submitting an original drawing of a wood duck to the Bird Art Contest may submit that same drawing to the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, and vice versa.

EXPANSION! The Songbird Art Contest is now the Bird Art Contest and accepts artwork of all bird species.

Formerly restricted to songbirds only, the Bird Art Contest is delighted to now accept all wild birds depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., NOT birds depicted in captivity, such as a pet cockatiel in a cage or pet store). Wild birds include but are not limited to:

• songbirds (e.g., robins, sparrows, finches, warblers)

• raptors or birds of prey (e.g., hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls)

• waterfowl (e.g., ducks, geese, swans)

• wading birds (e.g., herons, egrets, cranes)

• seabirds (e.g., gulls, pelicans, terns, albatrosses)

• flightless birds (e.g., ostriches, emus, penguins)

If you are a resident of Iowa or South Carolina, you have a State Host who leads your contest and requires artists choose from the following eligible state species lists:

2026 South Carolina Birds Species:

• Wild Turkey

• Roseate Spoonbill

• Chuck-wills-widow

• Belted Kingfisher

• American Robin

2026 Iowa Bird Species:

• American Goldfinch (Iowa State Bird)

• Black-and-white Warbler

• Carolina Wren

• Cerulean Warbler

• Henslow's Sparrow

• Orchard Oriole

• Painted Bunting

• Purple Finch

• Red-headed Woodpecker

• White-breasted Nuthatch 

Artwork must be the student’s own, original, hand-done creation. Copying or closely replicating another’s work (including photos or artworks) is not allowed and will result in disqualification.

Not allowed: AI-generated content or computer-edited pieces.

Accepted mediums: 2D, hand-done artwork only (e.g., paint, colored pencil, crayon, marker, collage, pastel, chalk). Spray fixatives are recommended for chalk or pastel art to prevent smudging. A loose protective cover sheet is allowed when mailing.

Artwork must be free of any writing, names, or signatures on the front. Signatures may be written on the back only.

Plagiarism Warning: Any artwork that appears to substantially replicate existing artwork or photography will be disqualified. For example, using the same medium, pose, lighting, and composition as another artist’s image is considered plagiarism, even if redrawn by hand.

Using photo references is encouraged—but your final piece must be recognizably your own.

• It is acceptable to use the same pose as a bird in a reference photo; however, you must change other elements such as the background, lighting, placement, and artistic style (e.g., coloring or shading techniques).

• Avoid creating a piece that replicates a reference image exactly. Instead, combine multiple references to form a unique composition.

• For example, you might use one photo for your bird’s anatomy, another for the background, and another for color inspiration.

• Looking at artwork by other artists can be a great source of inspiration, but do not copy their work. Instead, study their style and techniques to develop your own.

Not required for students in grades K–3 or for international participants.

Limit to one page, front only, typed or handwritten.

Include the student’s name, grade, and home state on either the front or back

Writing may take many forms, such as a story, poem, comic, journal entry, interview, or magazine article.

It should reflect the student’s knowledge, connection, or understanding of the selected songbird species.

Writing may include illustrations or decorative elements, but the words must be the main focus.

• All entries must be submitted via the online entry form. At this time, no physical mail-in submissions are accepted in the Bird Art Contest for any state, country, or region.

• The online entry form must include:

  • An email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult.

  • Signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.

• Please follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan the artwork (not photograph) for the best quality. Crop the image so that the artwork fills the frame (no borders).

Thanks to generous partners and sponsors, the contest bestows many different awards that reflect your vibrant talents and the diverse wildlife your art helps protect! An individual student may be honored with multiple awards across multiple categories. Requesting consideration for one award does not inhibit consideration for another.

CERTIFICATE: Each new contest year, students may download a signed certificate above.

ANNUAL AWARDS: A panel of judges comprised of artists, scientists, and educators evaluates artwork at state, national, and international levels for all grade divisions:

• Best in Show (one award)

• Art of Conservation Award (one award)

• International Bird Art Award (1st, 2nd, and 3rd placements in each grade division)

• U.S. National Bird Art Award (1st, 2nd, and 3rd placements in each grade division)

• U.S. State Bird Art Award (1st, 2nd, and 3rd placements in each grade division)

SPECIALITY AWARDS:

Student artwork is further celebrated with Specialty Awards that recognize outstanding art in a dedicated field or focus of conservation (e.g., sharks).

EDUCATOR AWARD: Grownups can receive recognition too! Inspired by a critical force for youth conservation education and the Texas Fish Art Contest, the Richard M. Hart Educator of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding educator each year.

HOW ARE REGIONAL WINNERS SELECTED?
For each state level and at the international level, winners will be selected in five age categories: Kindergarten (ages 5-6), 1st to 3rd grade (ages 6-8), 4th to 6th grade (ages 9-11), 7th to 9th grade (ages 12-14), and 10th to 12th grade (ages 15-18). In each category, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be chosen.

For U.S. participants, all 1st place winners from each state's age category will advance to compete in the United States National Judging for additional recognition for Annual Awards and National Placements.

Please contact our Art of Conservation Program Manager at info! info@wildlifeforever.org or mnix@wildlifeforever.org with any questions or concerns.

Best of luck!