Bird Clubs and Resources

Getting involved in a local bird club is a great way to learn about the birds in your area, scope out the local hot spots, and make birding friends. Most bird clubs are volunteer-run and are very happy to welcome birders of all levels.

Birdability is the work of Virginia Rose, a birder in Austin, Texas who uses a wheelchair. (Hear Virginia on our Show #766 and Show #802.) The Birdability website has lots of resources about birding with disabilities or other health concerns. The Birdability Map is a crowd-sourced map of accessible birding locations and invites anyone to contribute information about their local birding spot. Follow Birdability on Facebook or Instagram, and sign up to their newsletter to stay in the loop about inclusivity and accessibility in birding and the outdoors!

The Feminist Bird Club was started in New York City to create a safe and welcoming atmosphere for all birders, especially BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and those who identify as female. To find out whether there’s a chapter near you, visit The Feminist Bird Club. And check out Jason Ward’s Birds of North America episode titled “Feminist Birding with the Northern Flicker.”

National Audubon has a searchable list of their chapters, Audubon centers, and sanctuaries around the United States.

Outdoor Afro is “Where Black people and nature meet.” It’s a national organization dedicated to inspiring and creating opportunities to get outside. Leaders sometimes offer bird walks; check out their website to find a community near you.

Bird Observer calls itself “New England’s most comprehensive birding journal,” but it’s valuable for birders everywhere. In addition to New England-based birding information, the bimonthly journal contains features such as field notes, book reviews, and articles on natural history. Plus, the website can help you find a bird club in New England.