Become a Citizen Scientist

Due to the shelter in place advisories, many of our community science programs have been suspended. Please see below for an update on each program. Please note there is a delay in the application process. Please contact outreach@sfbbo.org for more information.

Landbirds

• There are limited opportunities for people to hike grasslands in the Santa Cruz Mountains or foothills to look for Burrowing Owls.
• No new volunteers are currently being trained for CCFS bird banding and people can be added to the wait list

Waterbirds

• New volunteers interested in colonial waterbird field work can be put on the contact list for 2021 (which we are currently hoping can proceed as planned).
• Volunteers interested in conducting gull surveys next May can be put on a contact list

Avian Disease Prevention Program (ADPP)

• ADPP is currently staff-only and will likely remain so for the rest of the season. 

Snowy Plover and Least Tern Program

• There are some opportunities to monitor Snowy Plovers in Hayward, and we hope to offer opportunities to monitor Least Terns starting April 2021. 

ONE-TIME OPPORTUNITIES

Shorebird Survey

​Survey for shorebirds during this one-day event, which occurs each year in November or December. Volunteers are assigned a location and record bird species and numbers on data sheets. Good shorebird ID skills required. The data contributes to the Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey and Migratory Shorebird Project. See above for 2020 update.

Gull Survey 

Help our biologists survey California Gull nests by foot or by kayak during one day in May. No experience required, but a willingness to be near hundreds of active gulls required. See above for 2020 update.

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PERIODIC OPPORTUNITIES

​Burrowing Owl Survey

​Conduct transect surveys to count the number of breeding or wintering Burrowing Owls and search for owl burrows at sites on Midpeninsula Open Space District preserves and at other locations around the Bay. Training is offered on the day of the survey and repeat volunteers get first consideration. See above for 2020 update.

Prevent Avian Disease

​Help biologists move and clean boats and search the South Bay sloughs by boat to look for injured, sick, or dead birds. ​The season runs from June through November. One day per month encouraged, but not required. ​See above for 2020 update.

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SEASONAL OPPORTUNITIES

​Colonial Waterbird 

Track numbers of breeding egrets, herons, and other colony-nesting waterbirds on the first, and sometimes third, weekend of the month, and/or help with remote data entry. Training is in January and the season runs from February through August. See above for 2020 update.

Plover and Tern Surveys

Survey for Snowy Plovers or Least Terns at sites around the Bay during the breeding and wintering seasons. See above for 2020 update. 

Phalarope Surveys

Survey phalaropes on one or more Tuesday mornings July through September. Ability to independently ID Red-necked, Wilson's, and Red phalaropes required. ​See above for 2020 update.

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 ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES

​Landbird Banding

ONLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FROM PEOPLE WITH BIRD BANDING EXPERIENCE
Help biologists capture passerines in mist nets, band them, and collect data year-round at our Coyote Creek Field Station in San Jose. Volunteers progress from Predator Patroller (patrol mist nets, report captured birds, deter predators); to Extractor (extract birds from mist nets); to Bander (band birds and collect data). Nets are open on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings just before sunrise and a shift last for six hours. One day a month requirement. Orientation occurs three times a year. This is not a training or certification program. 3-5-year commitment required. See above for 2020 update.

Citizen Science Volunteer Application

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