Bird Outing Leader Training
This popular program is being offered again spring 2025!
When: Saturdays or Tuesdays, 9 am - Noon, weekly through April and May.
Where: Rainbow Beach Field House
Why: To increase the number of field trip leaders of color in Chicago.
How: Carefully! We will be intentional about creating and holding a safe space where we can all bring our full selves to listen and learn from each other in an open and welcoming atmosphere of empowerment. We encourage you to apply.
Family Birding Day at our 2021 Training
What the heck is a Bird Outing?
A bird outing is a group of people getting together to move through a certain area and look at birds. That's it.
These outings usually have a leader, but that leader doesn't have to be the most knowledgeable person in the group. The leader's main responsibility is guiding the experience for people. This would include asking people to sign in, being friendly and welcoming, helping people get their eyes on a bird, etc.
Who is this opportunity for?
This is a training opportunity for anyone who has ever wondered about birds. If you’ve ever felt good inside watching a bird fly or hearing a bird sing, you will enjoy this training. Our ancestors had a very personal relationship with birds, if you want to come closer to connecting like that, this is for you. If you are curious about nature and animals, are friendly and personable, or would enjoy the challenge of bringing awareness of the natural world into your community or organization, we invite you to this training.
What is this program all about?
The program will include time outdoors learning to better identify birds and understand their behavior as well as learning to lead or help with birdwalks. Participants will make a commitment to use their training as a volunteer co-leader of birdwalks. The presenters will be members of many local organizations, who will also discuss green jobs and local bird conservation. Please join us.
This is a 7-session training program - 3 hours per session. With a celebration event to be held on May 24th to conclude the program. All sessions will be held at Rainbow Beach.
There will be two cohort options for the training.
One cohort will meet each Saturday from April 5 to May 17, 9 am - Noon
The other cohort will meet each Tuesday from April 8 to May 20, 9 am - Noon
Both cohorts will be invited to a culminating celebration on May 24th
When applying, you will choose either the Tuesday morning or Saturday morning option. This opportunity is open to community and conservation organization staff as well as all interested individuals 18 and up! A stipend is available to participants or their organizations. Organized by Chicago Bird Alliance and the EcoWomanist Institute, along with other key partners.
To receive a stipend of $275 participants must attend 7 sessions and commit to leading or co-leading at least 3 bird related field trips after the training is completed.
Reviews!
Here’s what last time’s participants had to say:
Yes, the diversity was very welcoming and the support and guidance was exceptional. Please continue this program!
This was a fantastic training with great leaders. I really appreciate the focus on diversifying the birding world and hope that CAS continues with an intentional focus on equity.
This effort far exceeded my expectations as there was a very inclusive culture. I felt this to be a safe space and learning space. Both educational and nurturing.
thank you for this wonderful opportunity to appreciate nature and serve my community.
Continue this program! Provide more funding/incentives to participants. Child care is hard for people, and transportation, so if there is a way to help with that, I am sure that will bring in more participants.
Thank you for investing in people of color, it is more needed and appreciated than you might think. Having this one-on-one experience has been life changing, allowing for connection and a love for birding that wasn't there before.
This kind of focused affinity and identity group made a huge difference in my comfort level participating. It also brought me to a park I wouldn't normally feel comfortable in exploring alone.
Both Judy and Antonio are so knowledgeable, it was a pleasure to learn from them.
Continue the program with more frequent time slots per year. Extend it with perhaps two field trips vs. one
Of course I do have positive comments. Muchas gracias por este entrenamiento. Fue una oportunidad muy buena de aprender de la biodiversidad de aves que existe en Chicago. Aunque fuimos algunos los que tomamos este entrenamiento, el conocimiento sera como ondas en el agua expandiendose en las comunidades y creando mas conciencia y atraccion para que las personas se interesen en la naturaleza de Chicago.
Keep investing in the BIPOC community!
The training, just like each session, flew by. It was an absolute joy spending time with others and connecting with the beauty of nature. Birds symbolize freedom in a lot of ways and for many of us, that ideal of freedom is untouched. Escaping into the world of migrating birds in Chicago is a simple luxury and I am blessed to take on this past time. I am looking forward to spending more time in nature behind a set of binoculars!
This has been the highlight of my spring/early summer. Without this group, I really don't think I would be as interested in birding as I am now. I'm especially thankful for the connections I gained in this group and am so looking forward to continuing to learn and grow with my POC birder community!
Thank you to our Funders!
This project is funded through grants from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources — Coastal Management Program Grants, the National Audubon Society, as well as the Chicago Bird Alliance.
Where can I apply?
We are looking for people who are curious about nature and animals, who like being outdoors, and who are friendly and personable. Familiarity with some of our bird species is helpful but not necessary. Our goal is to add to the number and diversity of people who are leading birdwalks in the Chicago area, whether with a bird club or a local organization involved with conservation. We will train you to be an assistant on a birding field trip, and as your experience grows over a few years, we hope that you will be able to lead field trips on your own.