Muckrace | Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex

2026 Muckrace Registration Is Now Open

Not registering a team this year? Please consider making a donation instead.

Mid-September is a great time to be birding at the Complex.

The Montezuma Wetlands Complex is a globally-significant Important Bird Area and supports a million or more waterfowl of at least 30 species, thousands of inland migrating shorebirds, a myriad of ‘confusing’ fall warblers and many rare and endangered species.

The 242-square mile Montezuma Focus Area, which was highlighted under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan as critical migratory bird habitat, serves as the boundary for the Muckrace.

What is the Muckrace?

Teams bird together from 6:00 PM Friday until 6:00 PM Saturday, trying to locate as many bird species as possible. Winning teams over the past several years have identified as many as 148 species, and collectively, as many as 192 species have been seen by the 15 to 28 teams, in a single day

In the 20+ year Muckrace history, over $125,000 has been donated in support of bird habitat restoration, research or public access. Recent projects have included: a touch screen display at the Montezuma Audubon Center highlighting habitat restoration, removal of invasive plants and replacement with wildflowers for pollinators at the Refuge Visitor Center, improvement of water level management on a 448-acre impoundment, construction of the Deep Muck observation deck, and support for American Black Duck winter banding.

Donation Tracker

Forms & Rules

Team Forms

Team Registration Form

Deadline to submit is August 31, 2026

Release and Hold Harmless Agreement

Team Highlights

Individual Feedback Form

Team Fundraising

Pledge Form

Team Sponsor List

Maps & Resources

Map & Amenities

Muckrace boundary map, places to stay, eat, etc.

Howland’s Island Map

Muckrace Checklist

Car Sign

Rules

Competitive Team Rules

Montezuma Muckrace Competitive Level Rules

Non-Competitive Rules

Non-Competitive rules for Youth, Rec, Family/Mentor, Photo, Low Carbon

ABA Code of Ethics

Muckrace News Past and Present

Highlights from the 2022 Muckrace

The 19th Annual Muckrace Musings

Oct 8, 2015 | 0 Comments

This ‘Big Day’, 24-hour birding event and premier fundraising effort of the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex continues to provide good times for birders of all ages. Although rain paid a visit mid-day on Saturday, and returned with about a half-hour to go, spirits were not dampened for the all-time record numbers of 135 participants and 37 teams.

The 18th Annual Muckrace Musings

Apr 23, 2015 | 0 Comments

Cool weather prevailed and a mid-day rain shower confounded some of the best laid birding strategies, but a crazy good time was had by all at the 2014 Montezuma Muckrace. This ‘Big Day’, 24-hour birding event is the premier fund-raising effort of the Friends of the...

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