Enter the 2026 Bird Art Contest!
SUBMISSIONS DUE BY NOVEMBER 30, 2026
Welcome! Use the Form Finder below to find the correct entry form and contest rules for your location. Remember:
All participants must submit an online entry form. The online form will prompt you to upload digital file(s) of artwork and creative writing. Mail is not accepted at this time for the Bird Art Contest.
You may complete the online entry form as an individual OR as a group (e.g., a supervising adult like a teacher submitting on behalf of two or more students).
You must use the online form and follow contest guidelines for your unique location (e.g., state or country). Some regions or states have an Art of Conservation Host — or an organization like a conservation agency or science museum who partners with Wildlife Forever to lead the contest in their region. Hosts adapt the contest to the needs of local communities and conservation.
What this means: Even though all contests in all places follow Wildlife Forever’s Rules & Guidelines, your local contest may also require a few extra rules (e.g., choosing species from a state list, eligibility for local awards, restrictions on mailing).
Digital signatures are required from an adult and the youth participant(s) at the end of the online form.
Grownups should help youth in reviewing guidelines and completing the online form.
Bird Art Form Finder
Where do you live? Select your state or country to find the right entry form and contest rules for your location.
Contest you'll be submitting to:
International Bird Art Contest
Rules and Guidelines
Participants must follow all contest guidelines set by Wildlife Forever in the updated Rules & Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your local state, territory, or country.
Entry Deadline
November 30, 2026
Eligible Participants
The contest is FREE to enter and open worldwide to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:
- Kindergarten (Age 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)
Eligible Species
All wild bird species are eligible.
Formerly restricted to songbirds only, the Bird Art Contest is delighted to now accept all wild bird species, including but 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)
Your chosen species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., artwork should NOT depict species in captivity, cages or pet stores). “Natural” includes any habitats and ecosystems where wild birds live, including nearby nature and local places that humans may also call home: cities, parks, farms, forests, grasslands, mountains, ponds, rivers, wetlands, etc.
You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.
Digital Art
You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums. Spray fixative is highly recommended for pastel or chalk pieces to prevent smudging.
Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art.
If you choose to use digital art, you must (1) adhere to all guidelines on original work (AI and plagiarism prohibited) in the Rules & Guidelines, and (2) document your progress and be prepared to provide the following proof of original work if requested by the judges:
3 Progress Photos OR 1 Timelapse Video: A minimum of three (3) chronologically ordered screenshots or photos OR one (1) timelapse video depicting the artwork at various stages of original creation (e.g., rough sketch, line art, base colors, final rendering). The photo(s) or video(s) should depict the artist’s digital creation workspace, such as the creative software (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco), digital tools (e.g., stylus, tablet), active project layers, history panels, and brush settings.
Submission Process
With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED). The online submission form must include (1) your scanned artwork, (2) email and mailing address for the artist or supervising adult, AND (3) digital signatures from both the artist and supervising adult.
MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please ONLY enter your artwork using the online form. Entries are not accepted by mail.
CREATIVE WRITING: Creative writing is OPTIONAL and NOT REQUIRED for international participants. However, you may be eligible for additional awards if you choose to provide creative writing. Please see “Creative Writing Specifications” in the Rules and Guidelines for more details.
GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.
Additional Awards
Depending on the specific species and focus of your art or writing, you may qualify for various Speciality Awards.
Please note: Participants outside the United States may not be eligible to receive physical prizes or awards at their international address, nor can any art sent by mail be returned. In these cases, recognition will be provided in the form of a digital certificate and online winner announcements on our public website.
Point of Contact
Wildlife Forever
Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager
Contest you'll be submitting to:
General Bird Art Contest
Rules and Guidelines
Participants must follow all contest guidelines set by Wildlife Forever in the updated Rules & Guidelines. There are NO additional guidelines for your state, territory, or country.
Entry Deadline
November 30, 2026
Eligible Participants
The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:
- Kindergarten (Age 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)
Eligible Species
All wild bird species are eligible.
- 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)
Your chosen species must be depicted in a natural habitat (e.g., artwork should NOT depict species in captivity, cages or pet stores). “Natural” includes any habitats and ecosystems where wild birds live, including nearby nature and local places that humans may also call home: cities, parks, farms, forests, grasslands, mountains, ponds, rivers, wetlands, etc.
You are encouraged to choose species that spark wonder, curiosity, or joy for you. This interest will come through in your art – a powerful tool to inspire care and conservation for your chosen species.
Digital Art
You may use any combination of the following 2D art mediums: crayon, marker, mixed media collage, pencil (e.g., charcoal, graphite, colored pencil), paint (e.g., acrylic, gouache, oil, watercolor), pastels (e.g., chalk, oil), and analog/traditional art mediums.
Additionally, digital art is an ELIGIBLE MEDIUM in your region! We define digital art as original art that utilizes creative design technology (e.g., Procreate, Adobe Fresco) as an art medium as valid as acrylic or watercolor paints in analog art.
Submission Process
With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED).
MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please ONLY enter your artwork using the online form. Entries are not accepted by mail.
GROUP SUBMISSION: This online form allows both individual submissions (one student) and group submissions (one supervising adult submitting on behalf of multiple students). Please follow the instructions in the Group Entry Information Sheet.
Additional Awards
Depending on the specific species and focus of your art or writing, you may qualify for various Speciality Awards.
Point of Contact
Wildlife Forever
Mandy Nix, Art of Conservation Program Manager
Contest you'll be submitting to:
Iowa Bird Art Contest
Entry Deadline
November 30, 2026
Eligible Participants
The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:
- Kindergarten (Age 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)
Eligible 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
Species must be depicted in a natural habitat.
Digital Art
Digital art is an eligible medium. Please follow all requirements for original work and documentation in the Rules and Guidelines.
Submission Process
With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED).
MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please ONLY enter your artwork using the online form. Entries are not accepted by mail.
Additional Awards
Depending on the specific species and focus of your art or writing, you may qualify for various Speciality Awards.
Point of Contact
Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources
Contest you'll be submitting to:
South Carolina Bird Art Contest
Entry Deadline
November 30, 2026
Eligible Participants
The contest is FREE to enter and open to all K – 12 students (ages 5 – 18), whose artwork will follow under one of five grade/age divisions:
- Kindergarten (Age 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)
Eligible Species
- Wild Turkey
- Roseate Spoonbill
- Chuck-wills-widow
- Belted Kingfisher
- American Robin
Species must be depicted in a natural habitat.
Digital Art
Digital art is an eligible medium. Please follow all requirements for original work and documentation in the Rules and Guidelines.
Submission Process
With the help of an adult, follow instructions in the Rules and Guidelines to scan/crop your completed artwork and complete the online submission form here (REQUIRED).
MAILING (NOT PERMITTED): Please ONLY enter your artwork using the online form. Entries are not accepted by mail.
Additional Awards
Depending on the specific species and focus of your art or writing, you may qualify for various Speciality Awards.
Point of Contact
South Carolina Wildlife Federation