Environmental Education in the Community

Bird conservation starts with community involvement!. We offer many opportunities for the public to enjoy birds and habitats and learn about avian science and conservation. Please see below for general descriptions and visit our Events Calendar to learn about upcoming events, or contact Outreach Intern Gabbie Burns at outreach_intern@sfbbo.org to learn more. If you would like to be an environmental education volunteer, please click on the volunteer application below.

Be sure to check out a recording of one of our recent science talks by SFBBO Science Outreach and Colonial Waterbird Intern Gabbie Burns, Exploring the Research Potential of Underutilized Wildlife Records below. 

---

​Bird & Habitat Walks 
We offer fun bird, nature, and habitat walks for all ages that explore a variety of ecosystems and species year-round throughout the Bay Area to showcase the science and habitat work we are doing and educate people about conservation. 

Bird Banding Demos
​We offer bird banding demonstrations at our Coyote Creek Field Station in North San Jose so people can tour our mist nets, view birds "in the hand," watch us collect data, and learn about a riparian restoration site. Demos are in the spring and fall. 

Nest Viewings
We offer "Birds in Your Neighborhood" nest viewings to introduce people to the colonial waterbirds that nest near their homes. Events happen March through July and participants get to see birds through a spotting scope and hear exciting stories from the field. ​

Science Talks
Participants can meet our scientists and citizen scientists and learn the latest about our avian research. We also invite guest scientists to share their work on diverse topics. If you are interested in being a guest speaker or in hosting a speaker event please let us know!

---

Science Exploration Walks
Docents lead walks near our Coyote Creek Field Station in North San Jose to learn about the skills scientists use to conduct their research, including bird observation and behavior identification skills, and become familiar with our data collection techniques. 

Corporate Groups
Our scientists give Lunch N' Learn presentations and bring science activities to corporate events. We also lead walks for corporate groups and engage them in our habitat restoration work. Events are great team building experiences that also help birds. 

​Plover Docent Tours
Docents volunteer along trails in Foster City, Menlo Park, and Hayward to teach passersby about the Snowy Plovers that use habitat along these trails. Tours are drop-in and free and occur during the second and fourth week of each month, Wednesday through Sunday.

Community Events
We participate in Earth Day fairs, bird festivals, and community events throughout the Bay Area where we meet the public, lead hands-on avian science activities, and share information about how people can get involved in and support our work. 

Environmental Education Volunteer Application