Deep dive into the lives of birds, their behavior, the challenges they face, and the conservation work being done to aid in their survival during this year’s Bird Talks in the Goldman Theater! Hear from experts in the field on various bird-related topics that will make you think twice about using the terms “Bird Brain” and “For the Birds” the same way!
Time: 12 – 5pm
Location: David Brower Center (Goldman Theater), Allston Way Berkeley, CA
Registration is not required (First come, first served)
California Soundscapes
with Nature Sound Society’s Dan Dugan
Listen to bird songs from around the state in an Immersive audio experience with acoustic ecologist Dan Dugan. Techno wizard Dugan will also give a quick survey of nature recording equipment and a brief ear training exercise. Participants will learn to recognize the songs of specific birds, as well as the elements of a natural soundscape and the basics of nature sound recording while listening to soundscapes from parks and wildlife preserves all over California, including Muir Woods, Lava Beds, the Central Valley, Joshua Tree, and Yosemite.
Dan Dugan started his career as a theatrical lighting designer, then switched to sound. In 1968, he was the first person to be credited as a “Sound Designer.” Dugan invented the automatic microphone mixer in 1974, and in 2020 received an Emmy for his contribution to television. Dugan has been a technical advisor to the Nature Sounds Society for over thirty years and is a board member. He has published six relaxation CD’s of nature sounds with naturemusicdownload.com and a full-length dawn chorus from Mariposa Grove in Yosemite with listeningearth.com.
Alcatraz Island & Central San Francisco Bay: Value of Seabird Climate Refuge vs. Urban Disturbance
with Julie Thayer
What birds utilize Alcatraz and the Central San Francisco Bay? Why is this important? What can we do to improve their habitat and population health?
Julie Thayer has worked in the California Current marine ecosystem for three decades, with a brief hiatus on the north coast of Brazil. She studied at the University of California at Santa Cruz/Long Marine Lab and UC Davis in Marine Biology and Ecology. Thayer has done field research on Alcatraz seabirds, studying population changes, diet, productivity, and human distrubance to Brandt’s Cormorants and Western Gulls since 1990.
Building a Bird-friendly City
with Glenn Phillips
Building a Bird-Friendly City will highlight practical strategies for making urban environments safe and welcoming for birds. Drawing on real-world examples and science-based solutions, this talk explores the challenges birds face in cities—such as habitat loss, glass collisions, and light pollution—and offers proven approaches to address them. Learn how urban planning, thoughtful landscaping, and small-scale community actions can create thriving habitats that benefit both wildlife and people. Whether you are a city planner, homeowner, or nature enthusiast, this lecture will inspire you with simple steps and impactful initiatives to transform your city into a haven for birds.
Glenn Phillips, the executive director of the Golden Gate Bird Alliance, is a lifelong environmental educator and conservationist. Raised in Livermore, he got his start in environmental education sharing his collection of reptiles and amphibians with local kindergarten classes when he was in second grade. Glenn has master’s degrees in urban sustainability and science education.
“Lights Out Texas” Film Screening
and Q&A with Director
Daniel Sheire
Lights Out Texas is an award-winning documentary that shines a spotlight on two of the most preventable threats to migratory birds: light pollution at night and deadly collisions with glass by day. Through striking visuals, expert voices, and community stories, the film reveals how simple changes, like turning off non-essential lights and treating glass with bird-friendly designs, can save countless lives. Both a call to action and a celebration of conservation, it inspires viewers to join a growing movement dedicated to making our built environments safer for birds across Texas and beyond.
Daniel Sheire is a film director and impact producer at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, with past work featured by National Geographic and PBS. His documentaries and campaigns bring powerful stories of birds and conservation to audiences worldwide.
Gardening for Birds of Prey – Lessons from the Urban Raptors
with Allen Fish
In recent years, a pair of Bald Eagles built a nest in Mountain View Cemetery and on an Alameda golf course. Peregrine Falcons call the Campanile home along with other buildings and bridges in the region. Dozens of Osprey nests line the East Bay shoreline from Hayward to Vallejo. And as many as eight other raptor species are nesting in our municipal midst! Isn’t this wonderful? Well — yes and no. City living isn’t always a bed of roses for a Red-tailed Hawk. Come learn the real stories about the lives of our East Bay raptors, about their feats and fiascos. How might we all do a better job of city-planning, and even gardening, for birds of prey?
Berkeley resident, bird biologist Allen Fish was director of the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory for four decades, and lecturer in Raptor Biology at UC Davis. Scientific advisor to Cal Falcons and Raptors Are The Solution, Allen has studied birds of prey mostly in California, but also in Mexico, Taiwan, France, Spain, and Scotland.