Watch Birds
Golden Gate Bird Alliance Bird Walks
Over 150 free guided bird walks each year in Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco and adjacent areas. Beginners welcome.
Watch live streaming video of an Osprey pair building their nest, laying eggs, and raising young along the Richmond shoreline. Active nesting season runs from March through August, but the camera is live all year.
Watch live streaming video of a Peregrine Falcon pair nesting and raising young on a ledge of U.C. Berkeley’s Campanile. Active nesting season runs from February through July, but the camera is live all year.
Check out these great local places to find birds or simply go for a relaxing walk.
Learn About Birds
Birds of Berkeley by Oliver James (Heyday Press).
Beautiful book with watercolor illustrations and background on 25 common local species.
Birds of Lake Merritt by Alex Harris (Heyday Press).
Watercolor illustrations and background on 18 species found at Oakland’s Lake Merritt.
Free app to help you easily identify birds by sight or sound, by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Merlins are birds of prey, but this app is as magically helpful as Merlin the magician.
This web site and free app from Cornell Lab of Ornithology compiles crowd-sourced sightings of birds throughout North America. Look up the birds that other people have seen in a particular place, identify locations where you’re likely to find a particular species, or report your own sightings.
Learn about birds in Golden Gate Audubon Society classes with experienced, friendly instructors. Classes typically include field trips as well as classroom or Zoom presentations.
28 Common Birds of Northern California and their Calls
Web site that shows clickable images of some common local birds and plays their calls.
Help Injured Birds
Found an injured bird? Their Walnut Creek wildlife hospital treats native California birds and animals.
This San Rafael nonprofit provides medical care to injured birds and wildlife.
This Fairfield non-profit specializes in medical care of water birds such as herons and ducks.
All these organizations welcome volunteers!
Protect Birds and Their Habitat
Birds face growing challenges these days due to climate change and loss of habitat. Some easy ways to help them:
- Keep cats indoors. Safer for cats, and safer for birds! One option is to build a catio—a safe, enclosed outdoor space for your feline friend.
- Keep dogs on leash in areas with wildlife, especially on beaches that are home to shorebirds.
- Cultivate a bird-friendly backyard by choosing native plants that nourish birds and pollinator insects.
- Install a bird feeder and water source in your backyard. Even a shallow pan of water can help during dry season. Keep birds safe from avian diseases by cleaning your feeder and birdbath regularly.
- Turn off home or office lights at night during migration season (February 15-May 30 and August 15-November 30) to help migrating birds stay on track.
- Prevent window collisions by drawing shades, remodeling with materials such as fritted glass, or using decals, tape, or other window treatments to alert birds, which can’t see glass.
- Volunteer for shoreline clean-up or habitat restoration with a group like Golden Gate Bird Alliance, East Bay Regional Parks, or Save The Bay.
- Support public policies that preserve open space for wildlife habitat, promote clean water, and replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources.
- Learn about how climate change threatens our local bird populations. Then tell your friends!
- Get involved: join Golden Gate Bird Alliance or other local conservation organizations.