It’s easy to feel overwhelmed right now.
Between everything happening in the world—for wildlife, habitats, and our communities—it can feel like there’s not much one person can do.
But don’t despair!
For over 40 years, the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory has been turning local action into real impact by restoring habitat, advancing bird research, and creating hands-on experiences that connect people to the natural world around them.
Because “think globally, act locally” still matters, and it still works.
When you step outside, when you support conservation, when you help protect birds and their habitats, you’re part of something bigger. Something hopeful.
This spring, be part of that impact. If you’ve been looking for a way to make a difference, this is it:
➡️ Support our 2026 Spring Appeal at the link in our bio
➡️ Help fund local conservation, education, and research
➡️ Share this with someone who could use a hopeful way to help
📸 Snowy Plovers by Jackie Deely
#Conservation #Birds #BayAreaNature #ActLocally #EnvironmentalAction
We’re launching a new challenge for our Spring Appeal, and anyone can help!
How many friends can you get to donate just $5 to support bird conservation, habitat restoration, environmental education, and community science?
🐤 Right now, first-time donor gifts are matched dollar for dollar, up to $5,000—so every new donation goes twice as far.
To participate:
➡️ Ask your friends to donate through our Spring Appeal link in bio
➡️ Send us a DM letting us know who you referred
➡️ The supporter who brings in the most donations by the end of June will receive an SFBBO t-shirt!
Small gifts can make a huge collective impact for birds and habitats across the Bay Area.
📸 Don Dvorak
#BirdConservation #CommunityScience #HabitatRestoration #BirdingWithSFBBO #ConservationCommunity
Come enjoy the 2026 Wild & Scenic Film Festival with us and @postlandtrust ! It’s a free community event celebrating nature and film. Enjoy award-winning environmental films, live music, and an exclusive falconry experience! 🦅
In-person: May 16 | 5:30–9 PM | Foothill College
Virtual screening: On-demand May 16–29
Register through our Events page linked in bio!
#WildAndScenic2026 #BayAreaEvents #FreeFilmFest #NatureInspired #Community #FamilyFriendly
Join us for a free Birdy Hour science talk with Dr. Nathan Van Schmidt to learn about our new Saline Lake Connections initiative, which brings together research on phalaropes, California Gulls, saline lakes, and water management across the Great Basin.
The first half of the event will highlight some of the major challenges facing these ecosystems and the birds that depend on them, followed by a special live Q&A with Nathan. After registering, you can submit questions you'd like answered!
⏰ Thursday, May 21, 2026, 6:00–7:00 p.m.
🔗 Register through the link in our bio!
If you enjoy these programs and want to see more, consider donating to our Spring Appeal!
#BirdyHour #BirdConservation #SalineLakes #Waterbirds #BayAreaScience
Experiences with birds can spark curiosity, connection, and a lifelong commitment to conservation. Through our banding workshops, science talks, field programs, and habitat restoration events, SFBBO helps our community members engage directly with avian science and the natural world.
Your generous support helps make these conservation education and community science programs possible.
➡️ Contribute to our Spring Appeal — link in bio
➡️ Right now, first-time donor gifts will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $5,000!
🎥 @amanda.newlove
🔉 Paul Marvin, XC809106. Accessible at /809106.
#BirdConservation #EnvironmentalEducation #CommunityScience #BayAreaNature #HabitatRestoration
Now accepting applications for our 2026 Avian Disease Prevention Program (ADPP)! Join a team of dedicated volunteers to conduct surveys by boat in South Bay sloughs, helping rescue injured birds and prevent the spread of avian diseases. Weekday availability is required between June and November; no prior experience necessary. Open to ages 18+!
Find more details and apply at the link in bio.
#SFBBO #VolunteerBayArea #BirdRescue #DiseasePrevention #Wildlife
Our habitat restoration volunteer events continue this month through partnerships with @postlandtrust , @coyotecreeksj@santaclaracountyparks . We hope you’ll join us for a rewarding day of hands-on restoration work! See a full list of locations and times on our events page (link in bio).
#VolunteerWithUs #ClimateChange #TidalMarsh #BayArea #EnvironmentalAction
Happy International Dawn Chorus Day! Celebrated on the first Sunday each May, this day invites people around the world to wake up early and experience the dawn chorus when birds are most active and vocal at sunrise.
Songbirds like this Pacific Wren fill the morning with rich, cascading songs that carry through forests and neighborhoods. At SFBBO, banding, measuring, and studying birds helps inform our conservation and habitat restoration work across the Bay Area.
Step outside at dawn and see what you hear!
#BirdingWithSFBBO #InternationalDawnChorusDay #PacificWren #Birding #BirdSongs
Join us this Wednesday, May 6th for a free, virtual Birdy Hour presentation this week with Ph.D. candidate Trina Chou! This talk shifts the focus to another one of our favorite animals, exploring how frog calls shape mate choice, and what they can teach us about the evolution of animal communication. Drawing from her research on treefrogs and her background in bird behavior, Trina brings a unique perspective to how animals communicate.
Free to attend, register at the link in our bio!
Donations to our Spring Appeal are appreciated, and enable us to continue our conservation efforts and educational programming.
#BirdyHour #ScienceTalks #AnimalCommunication #STEM #BayAreaEvents
From habitat restoration to nest monitoring, to collecting data that informs land use and policy—this is what our volunteers and members help make possible.
As @stantonchantonart shared, science doesn’t just stay in the field. It’s used to shape decisions that impact birds and habitats across the Bay Area.
Right now, first-time donors will have their gifts matched, dollar for dollar, up to $5,000!
➡️ Give today — link in bio
➡️ Share our post to help spread the word about this matching opportunity
Your generous support helps us continue our conservation science work.
#BirdConservation #CommunityScience #HabitatRestoration #VolunteerImpact #ConservationInAction
Birding Hotspots #6: Coyote Point Recreation Area, featuring photographer, birder, and artist Camden Bac!
Coyote Point is a fantastic place to view a variety of wonderful wildlife, from birds of prey like Osprey and Belted Kingfishers to plovers, sandpipers, and other shorebirds. There is a $6 vehicle entry fee; exceptions include people with disabilities, veterans, and seniors (on weekdays).
If you’ve been enjoying our Hotspots series, please consider supporting our Spring Appeal to help continue our avian science and habitat conservation work. First-time donations will be automatically doubled by a generous volunteer, and sharing or commenting on our posts helps spread the word, too. Link in bio to donate!
To see more of Camden’s work, visit @SVC_YBC and check out his Bird of the Month series!
#BirdingWithSFBBO #BayAreaBirding #YoungBirders #SanMateo #Peninsula
Join us next Thursday evening for a free online Birdy Hour!
SFBBO’s Director of Plover and Tern Science, Maddy Schwarz, will discuss Western Snowy Plover nesting patterns in the Bay Area, and share insights from our groundbreaking 2025 Motus radio tagging project. Plus, see what’s ahead for this year!
Register via link in bio
This event is free to attend, but donations are always welcome to help us continue our education and conservation work! bit.ly/Spring-Appeal-2026 (link in bio)
#BirdyHour #SnowyPlover #BirdConservation #CommunityScience #BayAreaNature
