EDUCATION &
OUTREACH
VIRTUAL RESOURCES
Apps for Young Citizen Scientists
Merlin Bird ID Cornell University
Merlin is the easiest to use bird identification app available, and it is free. Using location data and information from birders in your area, Merlin takes color, size and habitat information from the user and allows them to identify birds from the most likely choices.
More experienced birders will also enjoy EBird from Cornell University
Seek by Inaturalist
Seek is a free application that uses application technology to help the user identify plants, animals, and fungi by simply taking a photograph of them.
For those more experienced in identification, iNaturalist allows you to record your sightings.
Audubon Bird Guide App
This free app (Audubon will send periodic emails) allows you to learn more about the birds you have identified. Everything from Description to Migration is included here, with pictures and calls included.
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Through our educational presentations we interact with children and adults, sharing age-appropriate information about our local birds, and the human impacts on our environment and the birds that share it.
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We are often accompanied by one or more of our resident birds, who serve as our Education Ambassadors—our resident hawks, owls, and falcons whose permanent disabilities have made them non-releasable. By giving the public a rare and memorable opportunity to see these wild birds up-close, we hope to educate people of all ages about native bird species, their fascinating adaptations, and the essential roles they play in our ecosystem.
We encourage schools, businesses and other interested groups to arrange field trips to see our birds, tour the Resident Compound and learn more about our work.
Whether talking one-on-one with people at a community event, standing before a classroom of wide-eyed children, or reaching larger groups at public lectures, we strive to give everyone a new appreciation for nature and wild birds.
Books for Young Birders
For teachers, the Educational Initiatives Librarian for the Library System has a lot to offer and can be a first stop for books of any kind! - https://sonomalibrary.org/
The Cornell Lab Publishing Group puts out many great books about birds, including some that have curriculum written for them!
Here are just a few, with curricula that are aligned with national standards in Science, Math, Writing, and Art.
Melissa Stewart is an award-winning author of over 180 science books for children. She has a great blog for teachers and parents about encouraging young writers of non-fiction called Celebrate Science and has written some great books about birds including:
About Our Resident Ambassadors
A central feature of our education program is our Ambassador birds who, because of previous injury or other debilitating conditions, could not return to a life in the wild. These birds captivate audiences and instill the lessons that inspire them to become better stewards for the well-being of all birds.
Although our primary goal is always to return birds to their natural habitat, due to injuries some cannot be released. A select few become permanent residents at BRC. These resident birds serve as Ambassadors in education and outreach programs, helping to teach children and adults about the importance of birds and wildlife in the environment and local ecology.
