During the spring of 2025, Landis Arboretum is holding its second annual free Bluebird Lottery with entries accepted from now through April 15. The purpose of this lottery event is to have some fun while highlighting the birding opportunities at the Arboretum. Oh ... and there will be prizes! Click here to access the online entry form, and here to download the Bluebird Trail Map.

How to Participate 

It is easy and free to participate in the Bluebird Lottery. Our nest boxes are placed in pairs; all you need to do is look at our Bluebird Trail map, pick one nest box pair location that you think will produce fledged bluebirds by June 15, 2025, and submit an online entry form. Submissions will be accepted from now until April 15, 2025. Please use the form linked in multiple locations in this posting to submit your guesses.  Please note that our trail map was recently updated to reflect nest box changes since the last lottery.

Prizes

All participants who submit correct guesses by the April 15 deadline identifying one of the nest box pairs that produces fledglings by June 15 will be entered into a drawing to receive one of fifteen free one-year Landis Arboretum memberships.  Membership winners will then be entered in a drawing for one of our grand prizes. Existing paid members will receive a one-year free extension to their membership. Only one submission will be accepted from each participant.

The Grand Prize drawing will be held in late June and winners will be notified by email. Grand Prizes will include:

• A bluebird feeding gift bag and gift certificate donated by Wildbird Junction LLC, Delmar.
• Two prizes of a box of 12 suet blocks donated by Rick’s Feed & Fuel LLC, Delanson.
• Five prizes of a free subscription to The Mountain Eagle/The Schoharie News donated by the publication.
• A nest box built by a Landis volunteer;
• A $20 coupon to use at one of our plant sales; and free attendance at one of our events or field trips.
• Four $25 coupons from the Apple Barrel Store and Cafe, Schoharie.

More prizes may be added as local business friends of Landis provide them. Scroll down to see information on sponsors and links to their websites.

Click here to access the online entry form.

While this is a bluebird lottery, please note that no bluebirds will be given away as prizes!
You don’t have to be present at the drawing to win one of the grand prizes, but unless you agree to pay shipping, you must pick up the prize at the Arboretum within 30 days following notification that you are a winner. Another drawing will be held to award any grand prizes that are not picked up within 30 days of notification.

Odds of Winning 

There is no way to accurately predict your odds of winning. Each person gets to pick one out of the 22 nest box locations. Landis typically has several locations that produce bluebirds each year, varying from year to year, so every location is a potential winner. That said, the bluebirds definitely have some favorites. You can try to improve your chances by doing research to learn which nest box designs (we have four types) and habitat settings bluebirds might prefer and then walk our Bluebird Trail to see which location looks most favorable.  Last year we had eight winning locations with 30% of lottery participants winning a free membership and 16% winning a grand prize.  The total value of all 2024 giveaways was $1200.

PLEASE NOTE: Bluebirds and other cavity nesting birds may begin investigating nest locations by early spring. Between March 15 and September 15 please do not linger near any of the nest boxes or you may cause abandonment. Only Landis Arboretum staff and wildlife researchers (with prior approval) are permitted to touch a nest box
Click here to access the online entry form.

Please visit our Bluebirds & Birding at Landis webpage for general birding information.
 

Sorry, not every bird gets its own lottery. Maybe next year …