The ABA is committed to inspire, encourage, and develop thoughtful all-around birding skills in young, aspiring birders by providing them with the opportunity to receive personal advice and guidance from the pillars of our birding community. By providing a goal-oriented, age-appropriate, and challenging mentoring program, the ABA believes young birders will discover new skills and enhance their talents, benefitting our entire community and the world.

A panel of highly regarded birding professionals with expertise in that particular field will access each module entry. Mentor feedback and comments will be based on quality, accuracy, creativity, mechanics, techniques, and adherence to contest rules and the submission guidelines. At the conclusion of the program, each participant will receive written feedback from each mentor with helpful remarks and advice for building the birding skills of young birders. Repeating year after year is encouraged to gain feedback that will help young birders to improve their skills and submissions the following year.

Thank You to Our Dedicated Young Birder of the Year Mentoring Program Volunteers!

If you would like to become a mentor or otherwise support the ABA YBY Mentoring Program, please contact ybymp@aba.org.