Continuing the historic tradition, Piedmont’s 57th Piedmont Bird Calling Contest will be held on March 20 in the Alan Harvey Theatre at 7:30 PM. This year’s theme is Free As a Bird.
The annual competition has been a staple at PHS since science teacher Leonard J. Waxdeck started the tradition in 1963. Despite its name, the heart of the show lies in the comedic chops and creativity of its participants, according to the PHS website.
“I would say it’s more funny skits than serious bird calls, because it’s a way to laugh and have fun,” said emcee and 2025 second-place winner senior Luke McAuliffe. “Everyone makes some pretty cool skits, so it should be fun.”
Each entry is scored on a 20-point system: five points for accuracy of the call, five points for poise and delivery, and ten points for the skit. The weighing reflects the contest’s emphasis on creativity and originality as much as skill.
“It was a lot of fun to try and really focus on our skit and our information, and bringing the bird to life as opposed to just being perfect at the call,” said 2025 first place winner senior Matt Steimle. “So I would say even if you don’t think you have a great bird call, you can definitely still be a competitor.”
Steimle said family history played a role in his decision to participate.
“There’s definitely the legacy aspect to it,” Steimle said. “My mom was a winner a couple of times in the past, so it’s always been on my radar.”
Fellow group member senior Drew Kobal, meanwhile, came to the contest from a different angle.
“I’d been practicing a bird call for a while, and my friends definitely pushed me into doing the bird calling contest,” Kobal said.
Kobal and Steimle, alongside senior Theo Ferguson, performed a skit centered around the American crow, incorporating research about the bird and wordplay, including the fact that a group of crows is called a “murder”.
A popular topic of conversation surrounding the bird-calling contest is its celebrity judges. In 2023, Alex Hirsch, creator of Gravity Falls returned to Piedmont as a judge, according to the Piedmont Exedra. As of this year, Sally Baack, the contest organizer, was able to drop a few clues.
“I can tell you the three judges – we have 3 judges – one judge is a Piedmont High alum and a former emcee of the event, one judge is a bird expert, and one judge is a very beloved Piedmont High School teacher,” she said.
Kobal said the bird calling contest is accessible to everyone.
“It’s meant to bring in people who want to act a little bit and then show off some skills,” said Kobal.
Steimle said they are definitely going to participate again this year.
“We have to defend our title,” Steimle said.
Emcee junior Skye Prata Baack said she’s looking forward to this year’s show.
“I think it’s going to be a very fun and creative show,” Prata Baack said. “People are truly realizing how much freedom there is within the bird calling contest.”
The event’s continued success relies heavily on behind-the-scenes work. Sally Baack, the contest’s current organizer, has been coordinating the event for the past two years after learning the tradition might not continue without a staff member to run it.
“In fall 2024, I was at a school meeting where someone mentioned the bird calling contest might not happen because there wasn’t a staff member who could run it,” Baack said. “It just felt like too special of a thing to lose.”
Baack said her experience organizing the contest has shown her how much the event means to the community.
“Discovering how much this means to the Piedmont community has been incredible,” Baack said. “It’s one of the many beloved identity cornerstones of Piedmont.”
Past winners have taken their bird calls far beyond Piedmont, appearing on national television programs such as The Jonny Carson Show, Late Night with David Letterman, and The Trevor Noah Show.
