(RIVERHEAD, NY) – Put on your thinking caps, get out your tools, and build a birdhouse for the Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center’s Birdhouse Competition + Exhibit, kicking off today and running through Labor Day, with an official kick-off event scheduled for Wednesday, March 27, from 10:00am to 2:00pm at the Aquarium with Lowe’s, Black & Decker, Eastern Long Island Audubon Society, and Cornell Cooperative.
Open to adults and children over the age of 5 who love unique garden art and New York + Long Island, this competition is a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness about bird habitats, while expressing your own creativity in the following age categories: Nestlings (Ages 5-12); Chirpers (Ages 13-20); and Fancy Flyers (Ages 21+).
All types of birdhouses are encouraged – whimsical, beautiful, functional, and magical – but all must depict a NY or LI landmark that we know and love. Several prizes will be awarded and the best part is that you – yes, you, our guest – help pick the winners! Birdhouses selected for display can be voted on at the Butterflies & Birds! exhibit from July 1 – August 5, with top vote-getters put online on the Aquarium’s Facebook page for final voting; all winners will be announced on September 2.
Competition + Exhibit Guidelines
Entry Forms and $10.00 fee must be submitted by May 1. Every entrant will receive two (2) tickets to the Butterflies& Birds! exhibit. All Butterflies & Birds! guests will be invited to judge the birdhouse during regular Exhibition Center hours (10:00am-5:00pm) from July 1 through August 5. The top ten vote-getters from each category will then be posted onto Facebook for online judging, with the winners from each category announced on September 2.
All birdhouses must be handmade and depict a NY or LI landmark; please note that no purchased birdhouses will be allowed. We encourage the use of natural materials – please consider the environment when choosing your materials and finishes. The base of the birdhouse must not exceed 24” square, and the height must not exceed 30”tall. All freestanding birdhouses must be ready for installation atop a post and include a label that you must attach in an inconspicuous location. A label will be provided to you when your birdhouse is submitted for display.
All displayed birdhouses will be retained by Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center to be auctioned off by the non-for-profit Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation at their annual Oceans of Hope event to help preserve and protect our marine environment through education, rescue, rehabilitation, and research.
Prizes
Various prizes provided by the Aquarium & Exhibition Center, along with Eastern Long Island Audubon Society, will be awarded as follows:
- Nestlings (Ages 5-12): Gift basket, Penguin Encounter, and one Family Membership to Aquarium & Exhibition Center, one Family Membership to Eastern Long Island Audubon Society, along with one two-year Subscription to The Osprey Magazine, and monthly guided trips
- Chirpers (Ages 13-20): Gift basket, Penguin Encounter, and one Family Membership to Aquarium & Exhibition Center, one Family Membership to Eastern Long Island Audubon Society, along with one two-year Subscription to The Osprey Magazine, and monthly guided trips
- Fancy Flyers (Ages 21+): One overnight stay at the adjacent Hyatt Place East End & Resort Marina and one Family Membership to Aquarium & Exhibition Center (Restrictions may apply), one Family Membership to Eastern Long Island Audubon Society, along with one two-year Subscription to The Osprey Magazine, and monthly guided trips
For complete details, including registration forms, please call the Exhibition Center at 631.208.9200, ext. 260 or email wrodriguez@amwny.com.
About Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center (LIA & EC) Two great family attractions in one fin-tastic destination, this full-scale Aquarium and Exhibition Center features one of the largest all-living coral reef displays in this hemisphere, a 120,000-gallon shark tank, year-round sea lion shows, numerous touch tanks, and more than 100 exhibits and interactive experiences, including Shark Dive,Pirate Snorkel Adventure, Atlantis Explorer Tour Boat and Sea Lion Kiss. Long Island Exhibition Center’s first exhibit is Butterflies & Birds! Flying for a limited engagement, only, don’t miss them!
Located adjacent to the Hyatt Place East End & Resort Marina, LIA & EC is also the home of the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation, New York’s only authorized marine mammal and sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation center, and the 120-slip transient marina, Treasure Cove Resort Marina. The Aquarium was ranked by ParentsMagazine as one of the “Top Aquariums for Kids.” Visit Web site for more details: LongIslandAquarium.com
