Black Birders Week at the Smithsonian
In 2022, we teamed up with Smithsonian to celebrate the third annual Black Birders Week. BAFiS members and Smithsonian staff teamed up to offer a series of online and in-person programs at various locations in the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Our collaborators from the Smithsonian are the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), and the National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.
Black Birders Week at the Smithsonian
Click here to discover what else NMAAHC, NMNH and NZP are doing to celebrate Black Birders Week.
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World Migratory Bird Day Self-Guided eLearning Tour |
During an hour-long online tour exploring the phenomenon of bird migration, users highlight five species of neotropical migratory birds and feature ways you can help migratory birds from their own home.
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Play the Migration Game
Help Wanda the Wood Thrush travel from her winter home in Costa Rica to her summer home in Maryland!
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Play the Bird Nest Game/Quiz
Nest descriptions from: A Field Guide to Birds Nests by Hal H. Harrison. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston. 1975.
Bird Guides
Migratory Birds of the Americas
Urban Birds of the Eastern United States
Follow that Bird: A Science and Technology Unit on Tracking Birds! Lesson plan
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The goal of this inquiry-based unit is to teach core middle-school science concepts through student exploration of the tools used by Smithsonian scientists to track birds, the data they are collecting, and how new information is used for conservation. This project is one component of the larger Experience Migration exhibit coming to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and represents a collaborative effort between the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and Friends of the National Zoo.
Learning Lab Collections
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Follow that Bird! A Science and Technology Unit on Tracking Birds Learning Lab
The goal of this inquiry-based unit is to teach core middle-school science concepts through student exploration of the tools used by Smithsonian scientists to track birds, the data they collect, and how new information is used for conservation
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![learning lab flyer for how birds stay warm]()
How Birds Stay Warm with Ornithologist Sahas Barve
What should we know about the services you provide? Better descriptions result in more sales.
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![explore the rainforest learning lab flyer]()
Explore the Rainforest Learning Lab
Explore the Amazon Rainforest in this collection from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. This collection ties into the DCPS Kindergarten ELA Conservation Cornerstone and is meant to supplement teachers’ and students’ rainforest walk. It is inspired by “The Great Kapok Tree” by Lynne Cherry. Use the images, audio, and videos to explore the plants and animals found in this incredible ecosystem.
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![image of bird migration cycle]()
Saving Endangered Animals: Migratory Birds
There are over 200 species of migratory birds in the Americas who spend summer in Canada and the United States to breed, then travel to South America and the Caribbean in the winter months. Migratory birds are also known as neotropical birds, which refers to the region containing Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Migratory birds are a very diverse group. Flip through the images in this collection to take a look!
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![colorful birds across the smithsonian flyer from black birders week]()
Colorful Birds Across the Smithsonian
From parrots and flamingos to cardinals and blue jays, birds come in all colors! In celebration of Black Birders Week, we've created a collection of colorful museum objects from across the Smithsonian representing birds.
