We’re in Give!Guide 2024!

Bird Alliance of Oregon is thrilled to be part of Willamette Week’s Give!Guide this year. This annual campaign highlights 250+ high-impact nonprofits making a real difference in the Portland metro community. From now through December 31, explore giveguide.org to learn about and support these important organizations.

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Vega Gull

Big Taxonomic Decisions Announced

Every August, the taxonomic decisions are announced, and every October, Cornell lab updates eBird and Merlin to reflect those changes. This year we have had a number of big changes that affect birding in Oregon, all detailed here.

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Elsa Hume birding

A Birder’s Journey: Spotlight on Elsa Hume

Birder, Outings Leader, and poet Elsa Hume has been a part of our community since 2021, when she began attending our newly created Bird Days of Summer series. Since then, she’s attended field trips and classes almost monthly and has gone on to lead free outings and Bird Song Walks as a volunteer. In August, she joined us as an instructor for the first time, sharing her beautiful bird poetry with the world while leading our Poet Birds class.

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Swift Watch crowd

Where Did the Vaux’s Swifts Go and Why Did They Leave Chapman Elementary School Early?

If you’ve been watching our community science page or attended Swift Watch over the last week, you’ve likely noticed a large decline in numbers, with the count dropping to almost zero over the last few days. The question on everyone’s mind is, where did they go? And why did they leave their longtime roost site at Chapman?

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Dead birds at Tule Lake in Klamath due to botulism

Klamath Botulism Outbreak Update

In devastating news, the botulism outbreak at Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge in the Klamath Basin has now claimed the lives of more than 60,000 birds, and will likely continue into early October. This is the worst botulism outbreak in the recorded history of the refuge, surpassing the 2020 outbreak.

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A flock of Ross's Geese flying.

Join Our Newly Revitalized Advocacy Program!

The Advocacy Program is the home base for folks who are excited to speak out for nature. Bird Alliance of Oregon has always relied on collective action to win victories for nature. These successes over the past 122 years didn’t just magically happen. They are the result of individuals coming together to build the future they wanted to see.

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Wild Arts Festival

Wild Arts Festival Migrates to Its New Home

In 2024 the Wild Arts Festival is making a move to a new long-term home and a new weekend that will really let it shine. We are delighted to announce that the Festival will be held at the aptly named Wingspan Event Center at the Washington County Fairgrounds on December 7 and 8, 2024. The adjacent light rail and abundant onsite parking will make visiting the Festival even easier, and Washington County offers visitors lots of nearby opportunities for getting out in nature.

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