Rules

1. The American Birding Association's Code of Ethics will be strictly followed.
2. Each county must have an organization(s) that sponsors their Quest. We will have an actual County Quest Cup at the end of the year, and that will reside proudly with the winning county's sponsoring group during the following year.
3. Each county will designate at least two Quest captains as point people.
   
4. All birds counted must be identified while the observer(s) is physically within the county limits.
5. Vermont eBird is the official tool by which species are tallied on the master list for each county.  Species not entered on Vermont eBird can not be counted.  Birders who lack access to Vemront eBird will need to find some means of having their records entered (local library computer, friend, etc.).
6. The Vermont Bird Records Committee is the official review of all rare and out-of-season bird records.
7. There is an equitiable "par" system developed to compensate less diverse counties for a more fair birding competition. Par list for each county is available as a PDF.

Awards

County Team Awards

The County Cup
Presented to the county with the highest number of species found under the par system mentioned above. The winner will keep and display the cup until the next winner is announced after the following year.

County Species List
Awarded to the county with the highest raw total of species found.

County Checklist Award
Given to the county that submits the most checklists to Vermont eBird in a calendar year.

Individual Awards

The Vermont eBird 150 Club
Awarded to each Vermont eBirder that has 150 or more bird species in a county reported to Vermont eBird in a single calendar year. Finish one or go for all 14 counties!

County Bird Champs
Given to the birder with the highest species count for each participating county. No par or weighting necessary for this one!

County Checklist Champs
Awarded to the birder with the most eBird checklists for each county.

State Bird Champ
The individual with the highest number of species found in the state during the year.

State Checklists Champ
Awarded to the birder that enters the most eBird checklists in the state.

Birds & Beans Coffee Spring Arrival Awards
Vermont County Quest sponsor, Birds & Beans coffee, will provide a free bag of coffee to the birder in each county who first spots each of Birds & Beans' iconic birds this spring.  For each of Vermont's 14 counties, the birder who initially reports on Vermont eBird the local arrival of Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush, Chestnut-sided Warbler and Baltimore Oriole will get a corresponding 12-oz bag of Smithsonian independently certified Bird Friendly® coffee.
 
Four chances to win in every county, and to help get your group started, Birds & Beans will provide each county captain with a 2-lb bag of coffee to serve at County Quest events. The Neotropical migrants – Birds of Two Worlds - are still on their wintering grounds but will start moving north very soon, so keep your eyes and ears open. Good birding, and promote good conservation by drinking Birds & Beans coffee!