BIRD BANDING FIELD TRIPS
Get up close with wild birds at our nature center and observe bird biologists in action at our bird banding station! Our Nature Center is an urban oasis with bald eagles, beavers, deer, and so many birds! Immerse yourself in the streams, forests, and ponds while you explore hands-on science and explore migration, nesting, adaptations, and conservation. Meets CAS: Science 2.1 & 2.3.
- Dates: April and May on select dates (See registration form for availability)
- Location: Denver Audubon Nature Center in Chatfield State Park, 11280 Waterton Rd, Littleton, CO 80125
- Times: Field trips begin at 9am or 9:45am. Earlier is better for the birds, but buses have the final say.
- TWO classrooms from the same school can attend at the same time (up to 52 students). If you have MORE than 52 students, your group will need to attend on 2 different days.
- Program Fee: $350 per class. Includes field trip & pre-trip classroom program. We can provide a 50% fee scholarship for schools that are 75% or more Free & Reduced Lunch. (One class – up to 36 students – is $350. Two classes on the same day – up to 52 students – would be $700.)
- Field trip length: 3 hours for one classroom (up to 35 students), 3.5 hours for two classrooms (up to 52 students). Students will eat a bag lunch during the field trip.
- The program is run as a series of stations. Students visit the stations in groups of 10-12, with 2 chaperones per group.
- Bird Banding: observe biologists in action and see wild birds up close!
- Pond Station: scoop in the pond for “bird food” including tadpoles, crayfish, and aquatic insects
- Nest Station: use inspiration from real nests to design a nest to withstand a windstorm
- The program runs rain or shine! Rainy days are great days to see birds at the banding station!
- This field trip requires a pre-trip classroom program on bird migration at your school.
Cancellations:
Bird Banding field trips must be cancelled 4 months in advance. Reservations cancelled less than 4 months before the scheduled program will be charged the full amount of the program unless another school can attend that day. Your school will be refunded if Denver Audubon cancels the program due to severely inclement/unsafe weather.
Questions: Kristen Peterka, School Programs Manager: 720-214-0673. Kristen@denveraudubon.org.
We typically see birds at the banding station each day during field trips, but we cannot guarantee we will see wild birds during your program. If the weather is not safe for bird banding (too windy, rainy, or cold), the banding station is closed for the birds’ safety. In this case, we have other great activities planned and will still have a wonderful day of exploration in nature!