Neonicotinoids are the most widely used insecticides in North America; they are applied to our crops, nursery plants, and lawns in vast amounts. These chemicals are uniquely problematic for birds; they are coated onto seeds, leached into waterways, and drifted into habitats. We will explore the chemistry behind neonics that makes them so harmful, the ways they are used in modern life, the various ways they impact birds, and learn how to reduce our dependence on them.

Photo by Kelly Colgan Azar

Join us at the Garden Expo to learn about how you can prevent birds from hitting your home’s windows. Up to a billion birds die every year in the US after hitting windows, and almost half of those happen at homes. The good news is that the solutions are easy and affordable! This seminar will share some science behind why birds hit windows, and provide recommendations on ways to address problem windows at home to make them more bird-safe.

Photo by Corliss Karasov

Join us at the Garden Expo to learn about how you can prevent birds from hitting your home’s windows. Up to a billion birds die every year in the US after hitting windows, and almost half of those happen at homes. The good news is that the solutions are easy and affordable! This seminar will share some science behind why birds hit windows, and provide recommendations on ways to address problem windows at home to make them more bird-safe.

Photo by Corliss Karasov

Join us for this online presentation. Participants will be invited to examine select artworks, sharing their observations. You'll also learn about the artists’ intentions and how these works connect to broader themes. Whether you are a professional artist, a casual art enthusiast, or you just like looking at birds, this program will help you appreciate birds as subjects of art, as well as develop a deeper connection to any art experience. 

How many cups of coffee do you drink a day? A week? How often do you reach for a bit of chocolate, or give it as an expression of love? Coffee and chocolate are fundamental to many of our lives, and now you can combine your love of coffee, chocolate AND birds by buying certified Smithsonian Bird Friendly® products! These products support biodiversity in tropical rainforests where many of Wisconsin’s long-distance migrants like the Golden-crowned Warbler winter!

Photo by Dave Curtis FCC

Join Davin Lopez, an endangered species biologist with the Department of Natural Resources since 2005, to learn what birds can teach us about the impacts of climate change. Davin will discuss overall climate change trends in Wisconsin, along with how these trends are impacting birds, ecosystems, and people.

This event is part of the Birds and Beyond series.

This presentation is rescheduled for February 26.

Photo by Lisa Frank

From 2021-2022, nine GPS transmitters were attached to wintering Rough-legged Hawks in Wisconsin, including two sponsored by Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (learn about them here: https://swibirds.org/fff/tag/rough-legged+hawk). Many of these transmitters are still functioning and have provided multiple years of full annual cycle movements. Come learn about the year-round movements of Rough-legged Hawks wintering in the great state of Wisconsin, and how these nine birds fit into the broader Rough-legged Hawk Project that has tracked nearly 200 hawks throughout North America.

Photo by Phil Brown

Join the Uplands Garden Club with members in the Dodgeville, Mineral Point and surrounding communities for a presentation by Brenna Marsicek about the Bald Eagle Nest Watch program!

Photo by Gail Smith

One of Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance’s important goals as an accredited land trust is to create high quality habitat to support a whole bunch of wildlife. At Faville Grove Sanctuary, that’s 177 different bird species. We are setting a big Giving Tuesday goal of 177 gifts to support those amazing creatures. Will you be one?

Photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

The speakers will explore the issues impacting Wisconsin’s waters, and how these affect both avian and human health. Hillary will talk about historic and current efforts to protect Wisconsin’s cranes and waterbirds from the impacts of wetland loss and degradation, and Danielle will share parallel efforts to improve Milwaukee’s water quality and protect human health.

Amanda Tokuyama, GIS & Field Data Manager with the Urban Ecology Center will help unravel the mystery of bird migration. After Amanda Tokuyama’s talk on bird migration, Dr. Robert Mathieu, Albert E. Whitford Professor at UW-Madison, will guide attendees through a tour of the night sky (weather permitting) and share stories about the constellations.

Join Wisconsin EcoLatinos and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance for an event celebrating Latino Conservation Week and Hispanic Heritage Month: Monarchs, Birds, & Community, held at the UW Arboretum in Madison!

Photo by Howard County Public Library

Monarchs make a huge migration each year, from Wisconsin (and even further north) all the way down to their winter grounds in Mexico. It is an incredible journey, and one that scientists are still studying. This monarch tagging event, one of the most celebrated activities Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance hosts, will teach you about the amazing monarch life history, migration, and conservation needs. We will teach you how to safely catch, handle, tag, and release a monarch, all in the name of science and love of nature.

Photo by Kaitlin Svabek / SoWBA

Swift Night Out returns this September, and we are collaborating with fellow bird-loving organizations to celebrate the incredible natural phenomenon of Chimney Swifts coming in to roost during migration! In addition to Swift Night Out, our organizations will also be hosting informal get togethers each evening to watch the swifts. We’re calling it Swift Week!

Hosted by BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, the Feminist Bird Club - Madison Chapter, and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance.

Photo by Steve Benoit

Monarchs make a huge migration each year, from Wisconsin (and even further north) all the way down to their winter grounds in Mexico. It is an incredible journey, and one that scientists are still studying. This monarch tagging event, one of the most celebrated activities Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance hosts, will teach you about the amazing monarch life history, migration, and conservation needs. We will teach you how to safely catch, handle, tag, and release a monarch, all in the name of science and love of nature.

Photo by Kaitlin Svabek / SoWBA

Monarchs make a huge migration each year, from Wisconsin (and even further north) all the way down to their winter grounds in Mexico. It is an incredible journey, and one that scientists are still studying. This monarch tagging event, one of the most celebrated activities Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance hosts, will teach you about the amazing monarch life history, migration, and conservation needs. We will teach you how to safely catch, handle, tag, and release a monarch, all in the name of science and love of nature.

Photo by Michael Anderson

This online presentation is specially geared toward Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, Bird City Wisconsin municipalities, Audubon chapters, nature centers staff, and bird club members. Our goal is to increase the number of people knowledgeable about the bird-window collision problem and its solutions, so you can share this information with your communities.

Photo by Brenna Marsicek / SoWBA

In this free, online presentation by Kathi and Michael Rock and Brenna Marsicek, you will learn about Ruby-throated Hummingbird natural history and how to attract them into your yards and gardens. Then, you will learn about the expansive problem of and solutions to bird-window collisions, which kills up to 1 billion birds every year in the United States, and which hummingbirds are particularly susceptible to.

Photo by Monica Hall

This will be a great opportunity to explore the prairies, socialize with other wildlife enthusiasts, and of course to learn about butterflies. The only gear you'll need is long pants, sturdy shoes, and sun protection. A camera, binoculars, and butterfly ID book are other beneficial items. You are not required to stay for both morning and afternoon sessions.

This event is now full. Experience the amazing American Kestrel close up! We will visit the kestrel nest boxes that volunteers in our Kestrel Nest Box Monitoring Program steward, open them up, and place research bands on the chicks' ankles. It doesn't harm the birds, and allows scientists to study things like nesting preferences, migration, etc. Plus, it is really, really fun!

Photo by Phil Brown

Registration is currently open to Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance members only. Experience the amazing American Kestrel close up! We will visit the kestrel nest boxes that volunteers in our Kestrel Nest Box Monitoring Program steward, open them up, and place research bands on the chicks' ankles. It doesn't harm the birds, and allows scientists to study things like nesting preferences, migration, etc. Plus, it is really, really fun!

Photo by Ruth Smith

Registration is currently open to Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance members only. Experience the amazing American Kestrel close up! We will visit the kestrel nest boxes that volunteers in our Kestrel Nest Box Monitoring Program steward, open them up, and place research bands on the chicks' ankles. It doesn't harm the birds, and allows scientists to study things like nesting preferences, migration, etc. Plus, it is really, really fun!

Photo by Ruth Smith

This event has been rescheduled to June 2 and has openings. Join the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, Feminist Bird Club of Madison, and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance for an awesome Black Birders Week event celebrating black birders and the birds they love on June 1 at Fair Meadows Sanctuary near Milton. The event includes a raptor presentation by Hoo’s Woods Raptor Center, guided and independent hikes through the sanctuary, and a picnic lunch!

Photo by Gary Shackelford

The International Crane Foundation and Charlie Luthin are hosting an Evening with Caribbean Birds.  Dr. Xiomara Galvez, a Cuban ornithologist now residing in Mexico, is an authority on Cuban Sandhill Cranes and the Caribbean (American) Flamingo.  Misael Zozaya, a native of Merida, Mexico, is an experienced bird guide and photographer.  Both will be giving presentations on the evening of Wednesday, May 15th, in the Baraboo Library auditorium.  The event is free and open to the public. 

Photo by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

At this free event hosted by Powered Up Baraboo, Brenna Marsicek, Director of Outreach, Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (formerly Madison Audubon) will discuss the problem of bird-window collisions and show you how to make your windows safer for birds.

Image provided by Powered Up Baraboo

In mid-May we'll be out birding on Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance properties in Columbia County and other birding hotspots in the area. Birds have made an incredible difference in our lives and we want to protect them. Every dollar counts when it comes to helping our birds, so no donation is too small. Thank you for considering!

Photo by Arlene Koziol

This spring, when you order native plants through our special Native Plant Sale with Johnson’s Nursery out of Menomonee Falls, you get native plants delivered to Middleton, WI in May AND 15% of the sale totals go to Holy Wisdom Monastery and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (split 50/50).

Photo by Courtney Celley/USFWS

The Flockadelics Birdathon Team comprises members of SoWBA staff and board. We'll hold our Birdathon on May 21 at Fair Meadows Sanctuary and State Natural Area. We are excited to explore the grasslands, woodlands, wetlands, and everything in between at Fair Meadows, and see/hear which birds we can find! You can donate to support bird conservation and SoWBA on this day!

Photo by Arlene Koziol