ONLINE Course: Audubon at Home: Introduction to Birds & Birding

Pre-registration is required by 12 p.m. CDT Friday, September 27th.

*We understand there are economic barriers that many are facing during this time. If you live in Alabama and would like to request financial assistance, please email us.*

This introductory course, taught by master-birder Greg Harber, provides novice birders with everything they need to know to get started with their new favorite hobby—including selecting optics, choosing field guides, feeding birds in your backyard, finding birds in Birmingham and throughout Alabama, and identifying common birds and bird families.

Each class covers a different aspect of birding for the beginner:

• Day 1: Selecting and using field guides and optics. Attracting birds to your yard, bird-feeding basics, and how to find birds in Birmingham and beyond.
• Day 2: Learning to identify waterfowl, gulls, hawks, and owls
• Day 3: Learning to identify wading birds, shorebirds, doves, and woodpeckers
• Day 4: Learning to identify flycatchers and warblers
• Day 5: Learning to identify flycatchers and warblers (part 2)
• Day 6: Learning to identify sparrows, blackbirds, and finches

Where and when do we meet? This online course meets on six consecutive Wednesdays (9/28, 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26, and 11/2), from 6:30–8:30 p.m. CDT. It will be a two-hour online class with some time at the end for questions. 

Cost: Your one-time registration fee of $60 covers the six meetings.* (While you are not required to attend each class, do note that we cannot refund individuals for partial attendance.) We will be recording the webinar and making it available to participants for a week after the class.

Registration: To register, click on the button above. If you’re new to our online system and don’t yet have a username and password, simply click the “X” on the pop up and fill out the basic form. If you do have a login, please use it as this helps us tremendously on our end! You should receive an automated email upon registering.

Please note, you will receive a separate email with the Zoom webinar instructions before the first class (once registration closes). You’ll need the link or webinar ID and password from this email to join the meeting. In the event the link does not work for you, you may need to go to the Zoom website and manually enter the webinar ID and password. Please double check your email and make sure it’s a valid email address prior to completing your registration. We’ve had several kick-backs when sending the Zoom meeting instructions out to registrants, and you won’t be able to join the webinar without this information. Thanks!

Questions? Email the Programs Assistant.

FAQ’s:

I did not receive the email with the Zoom meeting instructions. Please double-check the email address you enter when registering for the online event as that is where the instructions will be sent (once registration closes). You may need to add us to your email provider’s safe sender list in the event it goes to spam. Also, please contact us by the morning of the event so that we have time to address your issue as generally you should have received the email right after registration closes.

The link doesn’t appear to be working. You may need to go to the Zoom website (https://zoom.us) and manually enter the webinar ID and password. Also, wait until just a couple of minutes before the meeting is supposed to begin to try to enter the meeting. It will not work if you try to join the meeting half an hour before it’s scheduled to begin, for instance. You can also check to make sure your computer meets the system requirements by clicking here.

Will this be recorded, and will I have the ability to view it later? We are recording our online courses and offering the recordings to registrants for a week after class night.

Is there a waiting list? We do not have waiting lists for our online events at this time.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Through more than seventy-five years of conservation work in one of our nation’s most ecologically rich states, Alabama Audubon has seen firsthand how diversity strengthens natural communities. We believe that the same principle applies to human communities, which is why our organization is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all Alabamians to learn about and enjoy wild birds, their habitats, and the natural world. One of the best ways to support that belief is by valuing and actively seeking to strengthen diversity among our staff, our board, and our membership. To that end, Alabama Audubon welcomes the whole of our community to our work, and strives to make our programs, classes, and events open and accessible to all.