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
Waterbirds
Snowy Plover and Least Tern Recovery Program
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 currently no openings 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 waitlist
Waterbirds
- There are a few more openings to do colonial waterbird field work in 2021
- Volunteers interested in conducting California Gull surveys this May can be put on a contact list
- People interested in helping with the Annual Shorebird Survey can be put on a contact list
- ADPP was currently staff-only in 2020 and people interested in the 2021 season can be put on a contact list
- People interested in helping with phalarope surveys can be added to a contact list.
Snowy Plover and Least Tern Recovery Program
- There are some opportunities to monitor Snowy Plovers in Hayward starting in March, and we hope to offer opportunities to monitor Least Terns starting in April
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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 2021 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 2021 update. |
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PERIODIC OPPORTUNITIES
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. June through November. One day per month encouraged, but not required. See above for 2021 update. Plover and Tern Surveys Survey for Snowy Plovers or Least Terns at sites around the Bay during the breeding and wintering seasons. Also help with remote data entry. See above for 2021 update. Burrowing Owl Survey Walk MidPen trails to search for Burrowing Owls. Once a month.See above for 2021 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 2021 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 2021 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 2021 update. |
Citizen Science Volunteer Application