Newswise — ITHACA, N.Y. – March Madness has begun, and that can mean only one thing:
Grab your brackets, log on to Facebook, and get set to see top-seed and returning champ Black-capped Chickadee face off against eight-seed and fellow 2011 “Airborne 8” finisher, the Dark-eyed Junco.
For birders, March Migration Madness just doesn’t get any better than this.
Starting today, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology will feature a single elimination “Tweet 16” tournament on its Facebook page, with the top eight finishers from last year’s March Migration Madness being challenged by four wild card entries and four “Facebook Favorites” chosen by birders around the world.
Just imagine the story lines.
• Can the Chickadee survive a powerhouse Winners 1 region to reach the “Feathered 4”?• Is the Bald Eagle destined to battle the Snowy Owl in a Wild Card regional showdown?• Will seventh-seed Wood Duck be the Cinderella story out of Winners 2?• Does fan-backed Facebook Favorite Great Blue Heron stand a chance?
During the tournament, 16 of North America’s favorite birds will go head to head every weekday through four rounds – with the Tweet 16, the Airborne 8 and the Feathered 4 all leading up to the coveted March Migration Madness “Chirpionship” on April 2. Each social media matchup lasts a day, and visitors to the Cornell Lab’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/cornellbirds) can vote for their favorite. The bird with the most “Likes” will go to the next round of the tournament, and visitors can download a printable bracket to keep track of their favorite fowl’s foray to fame.
And for the historians out there, last year the beloved Black-capped Chickadee bested an all-star set of opponents on the way to the tournament crown, including the American Robin, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal and Cedar Waxwing.
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