Birdwatching can be a relaxing hobby, a quiet time spent in nature enjoying the sounds and sights of the avian world.

But it’s a different story when a national Twitchathon is on. Teams of birdwatchers put in weeks of meticulous planning before hitting the ground running in a race to see or hear as many birds as possible in a set time.

Birdlife Australia is running its annual national Twitchathon on October 27-28 at the end of National Bird Week.

In each state, sponsored teams with names like Raven On, the Gang-gang Gang, the Dodgy Drongos and the Budgie Smugglers will take part in the event to raise money for bird conservation and research projects.

Birdlife Australia project officer Mick Roderick said this year there were three races to choose from: the intense 30-hour Big Weekend, the 12-hour Big Day and the 3-hour Birdathon.

“We have the weekend to find as many species as possible and it’s gangs of fun,” he said.