MBS Camp Scholarships for ABA Young Birder Camps – 2026
The Missouri Birding Society (MBS) is excited to once again offer two full scholarships for Missouri young birders ages 13–17 to attend the American Birding Association’s Young Birder Camps in summer 2026!
Available Scholarships
For the 2026 season, MBS will award:
-One scholarship for Camp Colorado
Allenspark, Colorado — August 2–8, 2026
-One scholarship for Camp Delaware Bay
Coastal Delaware & Cape May, New Jersey — August 6–12, 2026
How to Apply
The scholarship application period opens Monday, December 29, 2025.
Beginning that day, application forms and full details will be available on the MBS website: https://mobirds.org/MBS/Scholarship.aspx
📝 Application deadline: Sunday, February 15, 2026
Important: MBS has already reserved spots for Missouri youth at both camps.
Applicants should not register directly with ABA.
Selected scholarship recipients will complete their ABA registration only after being chosen by MBS.
What to Expect at Camp
-Camp Colorado: Explore shortgrass prairies, aspen groves, and the alpine tundra of Rocky Mountain National Park—an amazing variety of habitats and birdlife.
-Camp Delaware Bay: Experience beaches, marshes, and woodlands across Delaware and Cape May, NJ, during peak fall shorebird migration.
2023 Camp Scholarship awardee Eliza Lohman’s account of her Camp Colorado adventures in the December 2023 issue of The Bluebird, and Zita Roberton’s 2024 Camp Colorado report is in the September 2024 issue. These may be found at https://mobirds.org/Bluebird/.
More detailed information about the camps is at https://www.aba.org/camps/
Support Youth Scholarships
MBS Youth Scholarships are made possible through silent auction proceeds and generous donations.
If you’d like to support future young birders, you can donate to the Youth Scholarship Fund on the MBS website: https://mobirds.org/MBS/Donate.aspx (please select “Youth Scholarship Fund”).