Volunteer to Make a Difference for Sustainability and Bird Conservation
SFBBO depends on hundreds of volunteers each year to help us conduct our research, share our data, and restore habitat. SFBBO welcomes everyone to our team. We strongly encourage people of all backgrounds and identities, including but not limited to people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities, to apply.
If you need reasonable accommodation at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know at [email protected]. Please check out the timeline and program summaries below to learn about our one-time, seasonal, and year-round science volunteer opportunities.
If you need reasonable accommodation at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know at [email protected]. Please check out the timeline and program summaries below to learn about our one-time, seasonal, and year-round science volunteer opportunities.
Current Volunteer Openings
Apply to volunteer for our Least Tern Surveys and California Gull Surveys (our Gull Surveys are now FULL). Visit our Events Page for information about one-time volunteer opportunities.
Future Volunteer Openings
We will be accepting new applications for our Avian Disease Prevention Program in May and June (with a potential for late sign-ups through November depending on how full the program is), Phalarope Surveys in May and June, the Annual Shorebird Survey in October and November, and the Colonial Waterbird Program in January next year, and our Gull Surveys in April and May next year. Please check back at those times to apply.
Our Coyote Creek Field Station program is full and wait time for openings is more than one year. Contact Science Director Katie LaBarbera at [email protected] to join the wait list.
Our Coyote Creek Field Station program is full and wait time for openings is more than one year. Contact Science Director Katie LaBarbera at [email protected] to join the wait list.
Annual Volunteer Program Activity Timeline
January
- Colonial Waterbird Nest Monitoring
- Coyote Creek Field Station
- Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration Events
- Snowy Plover Mud Stomp Habitat Enhancement
February
- Colonial Waterbird Nest Monitoring
- Coyote Creek Field Station
- Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration Events
March
- Colonial Waterbird Nest Monitoring
- Coyote Creek Field Station
- Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration Events - Check our upcoming events
April
- Colonial Waterbird Nest Monitoring
- Coyote Creek Field Station - Join the "Wait List" here.
- Least Tern Monitoring - Apply to volunteer here.
- Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration Events, sign up today!
May
- Colonial Waterbird Nest Monitoring
- Coyote Creek Field Station
- Least Tern Monitoring
- California Gull Nest Surveys - (our 2025 Gull Surveys are now FULL)
- Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration Events
June
- Colonial Waterbird Nest Monitoring
- Coyote Creek Field Station
- Least Tern Monitoring
- Avian Disease Prevention Surveys
- Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration Events
July
- Colonial Waterbird Nest Monitoring
- Coyote Creek Field Station
- Least Tern Monitoring
- Avian Disease Prevention Surveys
- Phalarope Surveys
- Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration Events
August
- Colonial Waterbird Nest Monitoring
- Coyote Creek Field Station
- Least Tern Monitoring
- Avian Disease Prevention Surveys
- Phalarope Surveys
- Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration Events
September
- Coyote Creek Field Station
- Avian Disease Prevention Surveys
- Phalarope Surveys
- Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration Events
October
- Coyote Creek Field Station
- Avian Disease Prevention Surveys
- Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration Events
November
- Coyote Creek Field Station
- Avian Disease Prevention Surveys
- Annual Shorebird Survey
- Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration Events
December
- Coyote Creek Field Station
- Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration Events
Volunteer Program Summaries
Colonial Waterbird Nest Monitoring (open to beginners and families): Join our team of volunteers who monitor colonies of waterbirds during the nesting season. Training in January, one or two days a month commitment through the nesting season (January-August). Applications open in January.
Least Tern Monitoring (no experience required): Join our team of volunteers who survey Least Tern nests any day of the week, one day per month commitment required during the nesting season (April-August). All volunteer Least Tern monitoring takes place at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve in Hayward. Classroom training in March and April, field training in April and May. There are also openings to help with remote data entry. Applications open in April.
California Gull Nest Survey (no experience required): Join our team of volunteers who survey California Gull nests by foot or by kayak in May (one day commitment). Best suited for people who don't mind being around hundreds of gulls. Applications open in April.
Avian Disease Prevention Surveys (weekday availability required, no weekend opportunities, no previous experience required): Join our team of volunteers who survey South Bay sloughs by boat to find sick, injured, or dead birds to prevent the spread of avian botulism and other diseases (June-November). Applications open in June.
Phalarope Surveys (previous experience ID skills required): Join our team of volunteers with excellent independent phalarope identification skills who survey phalaropes. Commitment of one or more Tuesday mornings during the season (July-September) required. Applications open in July.
Shorebird Survey (previous experience required): Join our team of volunteers with excellent independent shorebird ID skills who survey shorebirds during a weekday event in November or December. Applications open in November.
Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration (no experience required): Join our team of individual or group volunteers who restore tidal marsh habitat. Please check our upcoming events to look for volunteer work days to improve habitat for wildlife, and subscribe to our e-newsletter to get updates on volunteer openings.
Bird Banding at the Coyote Creek Field Station (previous experience required): We do not currently have any openings for volunteer bird banding, but we invite you to join the wait list by contacting Science Director Katie LaBarbera at [email protected]. Wait times are currently longer than one year.
Least Tern Monitoring (no experience required): Join our team of volunteers who survey Least Tern nests any day of the week, one day per month commitment required during the nesting season (April-August). All volunteer Least Tern monitoring takes place at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve in Hayward. Classroom training in March and April, field training in April and May. There are also openings to help with remote data entry. Applications open in April.
California Gull Nest Survey (no experience required): Join our team of volunteers who survey California Gull nests by foot or by kayak in May (one day commitment). Best suited for people who don't mind being around hundreds of gulls. Applications open in April.
Avian Disease Prevention Surveys (weekday availability required, no weekend opportunities, no previous experience required): Join our team of volunteers who survey South Bay sloughs by boat to find sick, injured, or dead birds to prevent the spread of avian botulism and other diseases (June-November). Applications open in June.
Phalarope Surveys (previous experience ID skills required): Join our team of volunteers with excellent independent phalarope identification skills who survey phalaropes. Commitment of one or more Tuesday mornings during the season (July-September) required. Applications open in July.
Shorebird Survey (previous experience required): Join our team of volunteers with excellent independent shorebird ID skills who survey shorebirds during a weekday event in November or December. Applications open in November.
Tidal Marsh Habitat Restoration (no experience required): Join our team of individual or group volunteers who restore tidal marsh habitat. Please check our upcoming events to look for volunteer work days to improve habitat for wildlife, and subscribe to our e-newsletter to get updates on volunteer openings.
Bird Banding at the Coyote Creek Field Station (previous experience required): We do not currently have any openings for volunteer bird banding, but we invite you to join the wait list by contacting Science Director Katie LaBarbera at [email protected]. Wait times are currently longer than one year.