Summer 2025 Birding Classes are Here!

Whether you’re new to birding or looking to deepen your knowledge, our summer class lineup has something for everyone. From exploring bird behavior during breeding season to identifying birds by sound, and from diving into bird biology to learning how to use powerful tools like eBird, our expert-led workshops offer a wide range of engaging, hands-on learning experiences. You’ll even find educator-focused training through Flying WILD and opportunities to get to know local species like herons and egrets. Join us this summer and discover the fascinating world of birds, both in the classroom and out in the field!

BIRD-201: Intro to Bird Behavior Workshop: Breeding – with Shelia Hargis begins June 5th. The breeding workshop will go into detail on topics such as territorial establishment, securing a mate, nest building, mating and laying eggs, incubating eggs, caring for nestlings, and caring for fledglings. The field trips will provide opportunities to see many of these behaviors in action.

BIRD-408: Intro to Bird Biology – with Brian Stokes begins on June 17th. Ever wondered what makes a bird a bird – how they fly, sing, or migrate thousands of miles with pinpoint accuracy? Intro to Bird Biology functions as a crash course designed for curious minds with no science or birding background required.

BIRD-416: Flying WILD Workshop with Patsy and Tom Inglet on Jun 28th. In person. – Project WILD invites you to explore and share the fascinating world of wildlife and ecosystems using fun, hands-on educational activities. You will experience engaging TEKS-aligned activities while networking with other educators. This workshop will also include Project Learning Tree’s Explore Your Environment guide. This course offers 6 hours of Continuing Education credit.

PURPLE-101: Purple Martin Pre-Party Presentation: Register for either Friday, July 18th or Saturday, July 26th with Susanne Harm. In-person. Don’t miss this ‘before the party’ presentation where you will learn all about Purple Martin history, migration, lifecycle and roosts. The location of this presentation is dependent on the Purple Martin Roost location.

BIRD-122: Birding by Ear – a Two Day Workshop begins on July 26th Join Matt Law and Richard Deulofeut for a two-part in-person workshop focused on identifying birds by sound rather than sight. Day 1 takes place in the instructors’ backyard, perfect for building listening skills in a quiet setting.

BIRD-401: eBird Workshop with Shelia Haris begins on August 13.  eBird can do so much more than just track your bird list—it’s a powerful tool for discovering new birding locations, tracking current migration trends, contributing to bird conservation on a global scale, and more! This class is designed for beginners and newer users who want to unlock the full potential of eBird, from logging checklists to exploring its many features for better birding and science.

BIRD-301: Shorebirds  with Jeff Patterson begins on August 17th. Can you tell the difference between those little brown birds on the mudflats at Hornsby Bend? If not, join this class which is intended for intermediate birders who would like to increase their skills at identifying sandpipers, plovers, godwits, phalaropes, dowitchers, and other shorebirds.

BIRD-104: Intro to Wading Birds: Herons and Egrets in the Austin Area with Dave Read begins on August 19th. Herons and Egrets are found in lakes, ponds, rivers and creeks all around Central Texas. This class will introduce the discuss the special biology and behaviors of these beautiful birds, introduce some common species, and equip you to identify them by sight.

Are you a member of the Capital Area Master Naturalist? These classes will meet the continuing ed requirements!

 

External Classes offered by our Partners
TreeFolks Summer Education Series: Mountain Cedars: Junipers that Benefit Texas Karst Country: on Sat June 28th. This class is offered by TreeFolks with Elizabeth McGreevy.  For more than 100 years, we’ve fought the woody brush spreading across the limestone regions of Texas called karst country. Much of this woody cover consists of native juniper trees, commonly called mountain cedars. Instead of causing harm, we now know mountain cedars act as ecosystem engineers to improve and sustain Texas karst country function. Come learn about these benefits and what we can do to use mountain cedars as another nature-based solution to help enhance soil health, groundwaters, productivity, property values, and resilience. PLEASE REGISTER WITH TREEFOLKS HERE
Austin School of Furniture Owl Nesting Box Construction Class  on Monday, July 28th  Travis Audubon is working with Austin School of Furniture to promote their Community Class: Owl Nesting Box. Austin School of Furniture will donate a portion of their proceeds to Travis Audubon  Are you new to woodworking or maybe never tried but always wanted to? Then check out this Community Class that builds an Owl Nesting Box in only a few hours. This class is perfect for beginners, couples or nature enthusiasts alike. Travis Audubon’s Master Birder Susanne Harm will give a brief presentation on the specifics of when and where to place your newly constructed owl box.  Note: Registration for this class will be handled by Austin School of Furniture. PLEASE REGISTER WITH AUSTIN SCHOOL OF FURNITURE HERE

Travis Audubon’s Education Committee is dedicated to providing high-quality educational opportunities geared toward environmental conservation, bird identification, and bird-friendly habitat awareness for all ages. We focus on topics related to birds but also offer other nature topics as appropriate, and suggestions for new courses are welcomed. Our classes are led by expert instructors with significant, relevant experience to the topics.  We charge tuition (with a discount for Travis Audubon members) to help cover our expenses in offering the classes.  Many of the classes fill up early, so if you are interested, register on-line and pay the fee as soon as possible. If the class is full there is an option to be put on the waiting list, but the waiting list is only for the current year. Please note that by attending any of these classes, you agree to our Travis Audubon Event policies and Liability Waiver.

 

Experience Levels

100-Level Beginner classes are for people who need guidance on how to get started birding and need to learn the basics of bird identification and behavior. Our current Beginner level offerings include:

  • Introduction to Birds and Birding
  • Beginning Backyard Birding
  • Birding by Ear
  • Intro to Herons and Egrets
  • Intro to Hummingbirds
  • Intro to Owls
  • Intro to Raptors
  • Intro to Sparrows
  • Intro to Swifts and Swallows
  • Intro to Vireos
  • Intro to Warblers
  • Intro to Waterfowl
  • Intro to Wrens
  • Intro to Woodpeckers
  • Purple Martins

Intermediate classes are for birders who have taken a beginning birder class and/or have been regularly birding. Our current Intermediate level offerings include:

  • Introduction to Bird Behavior
  • Bird Behavior: breeding
  • Bird Behavior: Migration
  • Bird Behavior: Maintenance

Advanced classes are for birders who are confident with local bird identification, including
passage migrants, and have been birding regularly for years. Our current Advanced level offerings include:

  • Be a Better Birder
  • Empids
  • Flycatchers
  • Gulls and Terns
  • Shorebirds
  • Sparrows
  • Raptors

Workshops are classes that are for a variety of levels, and are focussed on a specific topic. Our current Workshops include:

  • eBird
  • Gardening for Wildlife
  • Purple Martin
  • Photography Basics
  • Intro to Bird Photography
  • Intro to Digital Photography Process
  • Birding at Commons Ford
  • Birding at Hornsby Bend

Class Policy

Payment for a class, workshop, or other fee-based event is due at the time of registration. If payment is not received within a week of registration, the registrant may be dropped from the roster. To withdraw from a class, workshop, or other fee-based event, please contact the Travis Audubon office: 512-300-BIRD (2473) or info@travisaudubon.org.

If a registrant withdraws from a class, workshop, or other fee-based event at least seven (7) days before the first session, Travis Audubon will offer a full refund less a $5.00 administrative fee that helps defray our costs. If the registrant withdraws less than seven (7) days before the first session, no refund will be made. If Travis Audubon cancels the class, workshop, or other fee-based event, we will fully refund the tuition.