Training

Learn About Bird Conservation

Educating others about what they can do to minimize and avoid impacts to migratory birds in their daily activities is among of the many resources U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offers to help improve nationwide bird conservation practices.

  •  Migratory Bird Conservation: A Trust Responsibility - The goal of this course is to provide information and tools to empower participants to incorporate effective bird conservation strategies into their daily work. The target audiences for this class are:
    • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service staff
    • Federal Agency staff
    • Non-government Partners
    • Project Proponents
    • Consultants
  •  Migratory Bird Conservation for Federal Partners ( bytes) - The goal of this course is to provide the information and tools necessary to empower federal agencies to incorporate effective and efficient bird conservation strategies into the agency’s actions, plans, and policies.
  •  Basic Bird Biology - This extensive survey course on bird biology and ecology is designed to enable participants to integrate ecological knowledge and thinking into their daily work. The target audiences for this class include:
    • permits specialists
    • wildlife inspectors/law enforcement
    • administrative staff
    • park rangers & outdoor recreation planners
    • wage-grade employees
    • those new to the migratory bird program and anyone who did not receive ornithology in college.
  •  Connecting People to Nature through Birds - The goal of this course is to teach participants to educate others about basic bird identification; explore resources, including citizen science and mist netting programs; discuss current bird conservation issues; and discover how to inspire interest in birds through festivals. The target audiences for this class are:
    • Educators
    • Outdoor recreation planners
    • Naturalists/interpreters
    • Community outreach specialists
    • Extension agents
    • Resource managers
    • Others involved in educating people about birds and their conservation
Other Training - Other federal agencies, state agencies and some nongovernment also offer training in bird conservation topics. Here is a small selection of what's available.*

 Cornell Lab of Ornithology offers training programs for all ages and experience levels, both in person and online.  Cornell's Bird Academy teaches about bird identification, behavior, calls and more.
The  Smithsonian Institution's Migratory Connectivity Project examines the full life-cycle of bird and offers resources for professionals and policy makers.
Over 40  Audubon Centers in the U.S. offer seminars, workshops, education programs and citizen science opportunities for all ages. Many  Audubon chapters also offer education and training.
The   Cooperative Extension System is operated through the Land-Grant University System in partnership with federal and state and local governments. The CES supports universities and local offices in bringing science directly to the regional and county level.
Your local college, university or community college may offer adult education courses in wildlife and conservation related topics - check their website or drop in for a visit.

And be sure to visit our Bird Enthusiast and Education Resources sections, where we have educational tools, helpful links and more.

*Listing on our website does not imply endorsement by USFWS or a guarantee of enrollment in any training course.

Last Updated: September 26, 2018