Our annual Kids Bird Art Contest is back! The contest is a fun way for kids to learn more about the birds around them and connect with nature (see below for our fun guided learning questions)! We're continuing to celebrate SFBBO's 40th anniversary, so to capture the spirit of our anniversary, we invite kids ages 3-17 to share a memorable experience with birds in nature and create a drawing that reflects that encounter. Prizes will be awarded for each age category, and artwork will be featured on our website, newsletter, and social media!
NEW: All submissions will also be entered into a random drawing to receive passes to either CuriOdyssey or the Oakland Zoo! 

Contest Dates: You can submit original artwork anytime between now and September 30, 2022. Early submissions are encouraged! Winners will be contacted by mid-October and awards will be handed out at the SFBBO Annual Meeting. The date, location, and time will be announced in September. Category winners are invited, but attendance is not required.

Contest Categories: We will judge submissions in three age categories: 3-7 years, 8-11 years, and 12-17 years. Submissions will be judged based on both the artwork and the written story.

To Enter: Register below. After registering, you will receive a link to digitally submit your artwork. If the artwork is created on traditional media, the participant may upload a high resolution scan. Optionally, participants can also upload a photo of themselves holding their artwork. 

If the participant chooses to mail in their submission, please use pencil to clearly write the artist name, age, hometown, and the artist and/or parent email (if applicable) on the back of the artwork. Drop off or mail entries to arrive by September 30 to SFBBO, 524 Valley Way, Milpitas, CA 95035. 

All entries become the property of SFBBO and will not be returned. Entries may appear on the SFBBO website and social media, and at current and future events. 

Questions: Contact Sirena Lao at [email protected]. 

Guided Questions to Enrich Your Story

These questions are intended to help artists (and mentors) work together to look and observe more closely. You don’t need to answer all of these questions to create a great story, but the more questions you ask and wonder about, the more you will discover and see.

• Why does this experience with the bird stand out to you?
• Why did you choose this bird? How did the bird make you feel?
• What physical features (such as colors, bill shape, size, etc.) do you notice about the bird?
• What behavior (such as eating, drinking, flying, movements, etc.) did you notice about the bird?
• Where did you see the bird? What time of day is it? What is the weather like?
• Where is the bird located (air, tree, on the ground, in water, near water…)? Did you see it in more than one place? Is there a name for the particular habitat (marsh, forest, bay, river, ocean, etc.)? What do you think they might like about their chosen spot?
• Does the bird make any kind of noise? Can you describe or write out the song or noise? Does it remind you of anything?
• What does the bird remind you of?