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Beaverhill Bird Observatory
Beaverhill Bird Observatory - Hairy Woodpecker Wing

Volunteer

There are many ways that volunteers can contribute to the conservation work, research and education programing we do at the Beaverhill Bird Observatory. Whether it’s being an active board member, assisting us in the field with bird banding or maintenance tasks throughout the natural area, or helping us with our BirdSmart Education Program, volunteers are always able to contribute in some ways.

What to expect

Most volunteers are interested in assisting with bird banding activities during the field season months; May – October. Volunteer tasks generally include assisting the banders by; scribing, data entry, and other miscellaneous projects around the lab. Once you are more familiar with how the station operates—and depending on how busy things are—we will start to get you involved with handling birds, extracting them from the net, and eventually, assisting with banding. Afternoon tasks include trail maintenance, site maintenance, nest searching, and more.

There are training PowerPoints and quizzes to complete before signing up for different roles at the banding station. You can find all these on our Volunteer Training page!

Throughout the year we have WorkBees where volunteers help us with a larger project such as road repairs, large scale building maintenance tasks or mending the mist nets we use to catch birds.

How to Become a Volunteer - 6 Simple Steps:

  1. Volunteers must become a Life-time Member of the BBO for just $10
  2. Watch our Site Orientation and Safety Presentation so you know what to expect
  3. Download and complete our Volunteer Liability Waiver
  4. Complete the Volunteer Application Form
  5. Wait for BBO staff to review your application and then you will receive your invite to our Volunteer Portal - When To Help
  6. Complete the Volunteer Training PowerPoint and quiz for the "Scribe" role to sign up for your first shift!

LONG TERM VOLUNTEERING opportunities are available for individuals with previous banding experience. If you are interested in staying for a week or more at the BBO to participate full time in our long term monitoring programs of migratory birds, please email our Head Biologist at biologist@beaverhillbirds.com to discuss how you can contribute to our research.