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Birds Georgia is a member-supported, 501c3 nonprofit based in Atlanta that creates bird-friendly communities through conservation, education, and community engagement.

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Meet our Flock: Julie Savage! Julie is our Education Program Manager, and she's inspiring learners of every age to appreciate Georgia's birds and to build places where birds and people can thrive. Since recording this video, Julie welcomed her first child! Join us in congratulating Julie on her new little hatchling! 🐣

Join Birds Georgia and @southeasternparks on a guided birding walk through one of South Fulton's underrated gems! Aerotropolis Nature Park is located in the aerotropolis zone of Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson International Airport in the City of South Fulton off Camp Creek Parkway. The park features old growth trees that frequently attract migrating warblers in the fall and spring. For this winter walk, we'll be looking for winter migrants including sparrows like the Dark-eyed Junco and Fox Sparrow. 🗓️ November 14 🕘️ 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM 💲 Free for Birds Georgia Members | $5 for Non-members Register to attend under Upcoming Events in our link in bio ➡️

Birds Georgia was beyond thrilled to celebrate Esther and Jim Stokes this week as they received recognition as Volunteer Fundraisers of the Year by the Greater Atlanta Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Esther has served on Birds Georgia's Board of Directors through some of the most pivotal moments in our organization's history, and we're so grateful for Esther and Jim's unwavering support for Georgia's birds.

Last month, the American Ornithological Society split the Great Egret into two separate species! #FunFactFriday New World (the Americas) is now called the American Egret, with a new scientific name: Ardea egretta. Old World (Africa, Asia and Europe) is now called the Great White Egret, and keeps the scientific name Ardea alba. So here in Georgia, we're saying farewell to GREG and hello to AMEG! 📷️: American Egret photo by Susan Berthelot (@susan.berthelot), a member of our Birds Georgia Photographers Network

Join Birds Georgia and @southeasternparks on a guided bird walk through this underrated gem in South Fulton! Aerotropolis Nature Park is located in the aerotropolis zone of Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson International Airport in the City of South Fulton off Camp Creek Parkway. The park features old growth trees that frequently attract migrating warblers in the fall and spring. For this walk on November 14, we'll be looking for winter migrants including sparrows like the Dark-eyed Junco and Fox Sparrow. Register to attend under Upcoming Events in our link in bio!

Our Beak of the Week belongs to... a Common Gallinule! Similar to last week's American Coot, the Common Gallinule has a chicken-like bill with a large frontal shield. It eats mostly aquatic plants, but might also snack on a snail or insect found among the leaves!

Weather this weekend is looking wonderful for our Intro to Birding Workshop at @fernbankmuseum! Designed for beginners of all ages, this family-friendly program will introduce participants to common birds of the Georgia Piedmont before heading out on a guided birding tour through WildWoods to put their new skills into practice. Cost: $10 for Fernbank and Birds Georgia members, $20 for non-members Details and registration in our link in bio ➡️

It's time to play Beak of the Week! Can you guess which bird this bill belongs to? Comment here with your answer, and check our Birds Georgia account later today to see if you got it right!

Meet our Flock: Gabe Andrle, Director of Conservation! Gabe oversees Birds Georgia’s conservation initiatives, including Project Safe Flight and our Wildlife Sanctuary Certification program, along with our Habitat Program, which leads habitat restoration projects across the state. We hope you're enjoying getting to know our flock of Birds Georgia staff members! Stay tuned for more staff introductions, and look forward to meeting some of our flock of members, supporters, and Board members, too! ❤️

Unwind after a busy week and ease into the weekend with mindful birding at Deepdene Park on Friday, November 13 at 4:00 PM! Bring a blanket, towel, or folding chair and join Birds Georgia for an hour in the Meade of Deepdene Park, taking time to slow down and connect with birds and nature. From our “sit spot,” we’ll quietly observe the birds around us, tune in to the sights and sounds of the natural world, and share observations and moments of discovery. Register to attend under Upcoming Events in our link in bio ➡️

Join Birds Georgia, the Jekyll Island Authority, and the State Botanical Garden of Georgia for habitat restoration plantings on Jekyll Island! The plantings will focus on installing native grasses in the south dunes to build coastal resiliency and improve habitat for birds. To date, volunteers have installed over 4,000 native grass plugs in the dunes. Our goal is to reach 10,000 by the end of the year! Workdays will take place each day from November 9 to 13, with shifts from 9:00 AM to 12:00PM and 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Stay for as little or as long as you like, no experience necessary! Click the link in our bio for more details and to register ➡️

Meet our Flock: Samantha Berinsky! As Birds Georgia's Director of Development, Samantha is putting bird conservation into action by bringing new members and supporters into our flock and seeking out the grant funding that fuels our habitat restoration and conservation work. Samantha is a beginner birder and has already learned so much in her first few months with Birds Georgia. Drop your favorite bird fact in the comments to share with Samantha! ➡️

November is here! We hope to see you at a Birds Georgia event or field trip soon! 🐦️

Join our habitat restoration workday at Swann Nature Preserve on November 9 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM! We're working to remove non-native plants so that native plants can thrive (and sustain Georgia's birds!). No experience required! Details and registration at the volunteer link in our bio ➡️

It's almost Owl-o-Ween! 🦉 🎃 The rich baritone hooting of the Barred Owl is a characteristic sound in southern swamps, where members of a pair often call back and forth to each other. It’s hard to miss their barking, “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?” call. Barred Owls are most active at night when they hunt many kinds of small animals, including squirrels, chipmunks, mice, voles, rabbits, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates. Only a little smaller than the Great Horned Owl, the Barred Owl is markedly less aggressive, and competition with its tough cousin may keep the Barred Owl out of more open woods. Barred Owls will readily take to nest boxes if you’d like to try to attract them to your yard. #FunFactFriday 📷️: Barred Owl photo by Alli Ruus (@alliruusphotography), a member of our Birds Georgia Photography Network

Our Beak of the Week belongs to... an American Coot! That bill is one of the easiest ways to tell a coot from a duck (that's right: coots aren't ducks!). The American Coot has a small, pointed bill and a fleshy plate called a frontal shield that extends up onto its forehead. Its bill is more chicken-like than duck-like!

It's time to play Beak of the Week! Can you tell which bird this bill belongs to? Comment with your answer here, and check our Birds Georgia account later today to see if you're right!

Meet our flock! Over the next few weeks, we’re going to introduce you to the Birds Georgia staff members putting conservation into action. Ryene Sanders is our Development Operations Coordinator. She’s helping our members feel connected to our mission through events, volunteer opportunities, and more! Ryene is new to birding. Comment here with your top birding tip for Ryene, and stay tuned to meet more of our flock!

Celebrate National Chocolate Day the bird-friendly way! Birds Georgia collaborated with @xocolatlchocolate Small Batch Chocolate to create a 72% dark chocolate bar that's yummy for people and great for birds. The cacao beans used in this bar are sourced from shaded farms that provide critical habitat for migratory birds like warblers, tanagers, and other bird species on their wintering grounds. By purchasing this chocolate, you are helping conserve locations where birds and people thrive. Buy a bar today in our online store (link in bio)!

What do you know about graminoids?? Georgia Native Seed Network Technician Shanna Lee shares how native plants are helping Birds Georgia and partners build healthy habitat for birds on Jekyll Island's wildlife corridor!

We want you to meet our flock! Behind the scenes at Birds Georgia, we have a dedicated team of staff members, Board Directors, members, and supporters working to build places where birds and people thrive. Over the next few weeks, we’re going to introduce you to the staff members putting conservation into action! We’re starting with Brooke Michael, our Director of Communications and Outreach (and the mastermind behind our social media!). Brooke is spreading the word for birds across our digital platforms, highlighting our conservation work, and promoting programs that connect YOU with Georgia’s birds. Show Brooke some love in the comments and stay tuned to meet more of our flock in the coming weeks!

Zombies, ghosts, jump scares... these things don't phase our fine feathered friends. But reflective glass?? YIKES! Swipe through to see more of what scares birds -- and how you can keep them safe!

With its ghostly appearance, rasping shrieks, and habit of roosting in places like church belfries, the Barn Owl has attracted much superstition. But actually, it's really a good omen for farmers who find it in their barns since it preys primarily on mice and rats. Barn Owls swallow their prey whole (skin, bones, and all!) and they eat up to 1,000 mice each year. #FunFactFriday

Our Beak of the Week belongs to... a Roseate Spoonbill! This wading bird sweeps its distinctive, spoon-shaped bill from side to side in shallow water to find crustaceans and small fish. Fun fact: Roseate Spoonbills aren't born with their signature spoon-shaped bills. Their bills begin to flatten by day 9, start to look more spoon-shaped around day 16, and are nearly full size by day 39. Look for Roseate Spoonbills along the Georgia coast, especially in marshes and shallow waters where they forage for food.

Let's play Beak of the Week! Do you know who this bird bill belongs to? Comment on this post with your guess, and then check our Birds Georgia account later today to see if you got it right!

Got a budding birder at home? Join @fernbankmuseum and Birds Georgia for an Intro to Birding Workshop at Fernbank’s WildWoods on Saturday, November 7! Designed for beginners of all ages, this family-friendly program will introduce participants to common birds of the Georgia Piedmont before heading out on a guided birding tour through WildWoods to put their new skills into practice. Cost: $10 for Fernbank and Birds Georgia members, $20 for non-members Details and registration under Upcoming Events in our link in bio ➡️

Three of our Birds Georgia staff members presented posters at the Georgia Ornithological Society 2026 Fall Meeting! Coastal Conservation Coordinator Sarah Cantwell presented "Management for Seabirds on a Dredge Spoil Island." Habitat Program Manager Sebastian Hagan and Habitat Program Lead Technician Tabby Spyrison presented "Jekyll Island Golf Corridor Restoration and South Dune Muhly Grass Plantings." We're proud to share the work our team is doing to build places where birds and people thrive along Georgia's coast and beyond!

Are you ready for it? One of the great spectacles of the birding world is watching Chimney Swifts swirl in a tornado-like flock before diving into a single chimney for the night. These birds spend the breeding season in Georgia and across the Southeast. They build cup-shaped nests by gluing small sticks together with their saliva and attaching them to the inside walls of chimneys or hollow trees. Unfortunately, Chimney Swift populations are declining as habitat is lost and more chimneys are capped, removing important nesting and roosting sites. Preserving suitable chimneys, building Chimney Swift towers, and protecting natural nesting sites can help these birds thrive.

Our Birds Georgia Habitat Team has been hard at work on @jekyll_island, helping to transform part of the former Oleander Golf Course into native grassland habitat for birds and other wildlife. We’re grateful to partner with the Jekyll Island Authority and @botanicalgarden_ga to restore this important habitat. Birds Georgia Director of Conservation Gabe Andrle (@naturewithgabe) has already spotted Bobolinks and hawks using the site. What other birds do you think we’ll see as this habitat continues to develop??

**LIGHTS OUT ALERT: OCTOBER 16** We're expecting HIGH migration activity over Georgia on Friday, October 16, with more than 20 MILLION BIRDS expected to be migrating across our skies! Help keep them safe by going LIGHTS OUT for birds! -Turn off non-essential outdoor lights between midnight and 6 AM -Close curtains and draw blinds to prevent light spill from inside your home -Optimize your outdoor lighting: choose down-shielded, motion-activated fixtures and warm-colored bulbs (3,000 Kelvins or lower) Why go Lights Out? Bright artificial lights can confuse and disorient migrating birds, drawing them toward brightly lit cities like metro Atlanta. Birds can collide with buildings or become trapped circling in beams of light until they're exhausted. Even after birds reach the ground, brightly lit lobbies, reflective glass, transparent facades, and indoor plants near windows can put them at risk of collisions. Weather conditions that force birds to fly lower can make the danger even greater. More than half of bird-building collisions occur at residential homes. That means turning off your lights at home really can make a difference! Want to make an even bigger impact? Share this alert with local officials, schools, places of worship, property managers, and businesses. Both homeowners and commercial property managers can take our Lights Out Pledge. Learn more at our link in bio ➡️

You could say the Loggerhead Shrike keeps its Halloween decorations up year-round! 🎃 A songbird masquerading as a raptor, the Loggerhead Shrike hunts and kills prey with its hooked beaks, then impales the leftovers on barbed wire or thorns. ☠️ For poisonous prey like monarch butterflies, a Loggerhead Shrike will leave the meal skewered for days to allow the toxins to break down before eating. 📷️: Loggerhead Shrike photo by Steve Rushing (@rushingoutdoors), a member of our Birds Georgia Photographers Network

Our Beak of the Week belongs to... a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker! This chisel-like bill is designed for drilling into tree bark. If you've ever noticed a tree with amazingly neat rows of shallow holes drilled into the bark, you've likely admired the work of a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. After drilling a sapwell, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker laps up the sap (along with any trapped insects) using its specialized, brush-tipped tongue. These woodpeckers are a winter visitor to Georgia, generally arriving in October and staying through the spring.

It's time to play Beak of the Week! Can you guess who this bird bill belongs to? Comment here with your answer, and check our Birds Georgia account later this afternoon to see if you got it right!

Join Birds Georgia at Manuel’s Tavern on Sunday, October 25! Hear from Sarah Cantwell, Birds Georgia’s Coastal Conservation Coordinator, as she shares stories from her work as a field ornithologist, the conservation challenges facing North America’s waterbirds, and what brought her to Georgia’s coast to work for birds. 📅 Sunday, October 25 | 3:30 to 5:30 PM 📍 at Manuel's Tavern in Atlanta The meeting is free and open to the public. Registration is requested. Food and drinks are available for purchase, with free parking south of the building. Come early for the Early Birds Book Club at 2:00 PM! The Early Birds will be discussing "Bird School: A Beginner in the Wood" by Adam Nicholson. All are welcome! RSVP under Upcoming Events in our link in bio ➡️

Join Birds Georgia, Patagonia Atlanta, and community partners for a special screening of "City in a Forest," a powerful documentary that explores the significance of Atlanta's urban forest and the intricate balance required to preserve it within a bustling metropolis. The screening will be followed by a special panel discussion with the film's director, Birds Georgia's Adam Betuel, and more of Atlanta's most notable environmental voices. RSVP at our link in bio! Note: This is an outdoor screening, so please bring a lawn chair/ blanket/ beach towel for your comfort!

**MULTI-NIGHT LIGHTS OUT ALERT** The storm has passed, and the birds are on the move! We're expecting two of the season's biggest migration nights so far on Sunday, October 11, and Monday, October 12. Help birds on their incredible journeys with one simple action: turn your lights out! Here's how you can help: -Turn off non-essential outdoor lights when they're not in use, especially between midnight and 6 a.m. -Make sure outdoor lights point down and are well-shielded to prevent light trespass and glare. -Install motion sensors so outdoor lights are only on when needed. When choosing LED bulbs for outdoor lighting, select warm-colored bulbs of 3,000 Kelvin or lower. -Close blinds or curtains to reduce light spilling out from inside your home. Lights Out doesn't mean turning off every light or compromising safety. It means reducing decorative and unnecessary nighttime lighting to help migrating birds navigate safely. And this effort goes beyond our homes! Share these recommendations with your workplace, school, place of worship, or local businesses. Every unnecessary light turned off can help make Georgia's skies safer for birds. Share this post and help spread the word for birds!

October 10 is World Migratory Bird Day and October Big Day! Normally, we'd encourage you to grab a pair of binoculars and get outside, but the weather isn't exactly cooperating (thanks, #Isaias). Instead, let's bird from home together! Your mission: look out your window! Maybe there's a Downy Woodpecker in a nearby tree, a Northern Cardinal on your bird feeder camera, an Eastern Bluebird perched on a telephone wire, or something unexpected hanging out in your apartment parking lot. Let's turn the comments into one big virtual birding party! Tell us: -What birds you see or hear -Where you're watching from Let's share our sightings, learn from one another, and see how many birds we can find together without ever leaving home. Want to make your sightings count for science, too? Submit your observations to eBird to help researchers track bird populations and movements around the world! 🫶 #WorldMigratoryBirdDay #WMBD #Birding #CommunityScience

Did you know that the Black-and-white Warbler is the only member of the genus Mniotilta? The name means “moss-plucking,” a reference to this warbler’s habit of probing bark and moss for insects. #FunFactFriday Learn more about the Black-and-white Warbler over on our blog (link in bio) in the latest species profile written by Birds Georgia member and volunteer, Steve Phenicie. 📷️: Black-and-white Warbler photo by Susan Berthelot (@susan.berthelot), a member of our Birds Georgia Photographers Network

Our Beak of the Week belongs to... a White-throated Sparrow! This sparrow sports a classic sparrow bill: small, short, conical, and perfectly adapted for cracking seeds on the ground. While you (ahem, we) may be feeling sad to say goodbye to all of the summer birds and fall migrants passing through Georgia, take heart! Winter birds (like the White-throated Sparrow) are on their way! 🫶

Let's play Beak of the Week! Can you guess this bird based on its bill? Comment here with your answer, and check our Birds Georgia account later today to see if you got it right!

We're partnering with Georgia Conservancy for Georgia Nature Fest! Use the discount code BIRDS to get 10% off your ticket price. Here are the details: 🌳 Georgia Nature Fest 🗓️ Saturday, November 7 🕓️ 4 PM to 8 PM 📍 at Monday Night Garage Enjoy great food, live music, and celebrate everything we love about Georgia's outdoors while supporting the work that protects these wild places. Get tickets through our friends at @gaconservancy ➡️

Habitat restoration happens rain or shine with Birds Georgia! Our Habitat Team, community partners, and one very loyal volunteer endured torrential downpours during today's planting workday for the Jekyll Island Wildlife Corridor. Good news: we still got tons of plants in the ground! Want to help plant (and splash) with us? RSVP at our link in bio! We'll be out here planting through October 15!

Let's dig in the dirt and build healthy habitat for birds and other wildlife on Jekyll Island! Birds Georgia is working with Shanna Lee from the State Botanical Garden of Georgia to convert retired holes on Oleander Golf Course into a native grassland, which will serve as a wildlife corridor on the island. Right now, we're working to get THOUSANDS of plants in the ground, and we need your help! RSVP to volunteer anytime between now and October 15, any day from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. You're welcome to stay and help for any length of time within that window. Register to help through our link in bio!

Join us in sharing a massive CONGRATS to Sarah Cantwell, our Coastal Conservation Coordinator, for winning 1ST PLACE in the Coastal Collaboration Pitch Competition at the State of the Georgia Coast Conference! 🎉 Sarah won $10,000 for her pitch centered around Osprey productivity monitoring across coastal Georgia. Ospreys have recently experienced severe declines along the mid- and north Atlantic coasts. Here in Georgia, we have limited information about Osprey breeding locations, reproductive success, and long-term population trends. Sarah’s project would involve Birds Georgia working with partners and coastal communities to establish a standardized Osprey monitoring program. The program would map breeding territories and track reproductive success over time, helping fill important gaps in our understanding of Georgia’s Osprey population. Thank you to @gacoast.uga for this opportunity, and another huge congrats to Sarah for her vision and passion for Georgia’s coastal birds!

WEATHER ALERT! With showers and thunderstorms in the forecast, we've decided to reschedule this Sunday's field trip to Sam's Lake Bird Sanctuary. The walk will now take place on October 18th, from 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM. We hope you'll join us on this new (and hopefully less rainy) date!

October already? 🎃 Let’s talk spooky season and a bird sporting Halloween colors: the American Redstart! Male American Redstarts are glossy black with bright orange patches on their wings, tail, and sides. BUT WAIT! Females and young birds look very different. Instead of black and orange, they’re mostly gray or olive with yellow patches. One thing males and females have in common is a behavior called “flashing,” or rapidly spreading and closing their tails. American Redstarts are primarily insect eaters, but they’ll also eat small berries and fruits. You won’t typically see them at your feeders, but planting native serviceberry, magnolia, beautyberry, and other berry-producing plants may help attract them to your yard. #FunFactFriday 📷 American Redstart (male) by Ingrid Siegert @barkingboat; American Redstart (female) by Steve Rushing @rushingoutdoors, both members of our Photographers Network

Our Beak of the Week belongs to... a Rose-breasted Grosbeak! Fun fact: The word “grosbeak” comes from the French gros for “thick” and bec for “beak”! With its chunky bill, the Rose-breasted Grosbeak can crush berries, break open tough seeds, and even grind up insects. These beautiful birds are a favorite among many birders, especially when they stop by backyard bird feeders during migration!

October is here, and so is our lineup of October events and field trips! We hope to see you at a Birds Georgia outing soon! 🍂 🐦️

It's time to play Beak of the Week! Can you guess who this bird bill belongs to? Comment here with your guess, and check our Birds Georgia account later in the day to see if you got it right!

We've had a wonderful September celebrating our Fall Flyway Festival! From bird walks and webinars to our Round Robin event in Athens, it's been an amazing month of enjoying birds and learning about the native Georgia plants that fuel their migration journeys. A huge THANK YOU to all of our community partners and collaborators who helped to host these events and an especially big shoutout to our Fall Flyway Festival sponsors for their generous support! @howellconservationfund @gaforestryfdn @cafecampesino @gaconservancy @botanicalgarden_ga @sunrise_nursery_winterville @nativeforestnursery

Did you know we have our own Birds Georgia blend of coffee? Created in partnership with @cafecampesino, this blend is sourced from small, organic farms in alignment with the Smithsonian Bird Friendly Coffee program. This means these beans were grown in the shade of canopy trees, providing vital resources for birds, better conditions for the tree itself, and in a way that supports the larger ecosystem and the farmers that rely upon it. By purchasing this coffee, you are helping to create and preserve locations where both birds and people thrive. Buy a bag in our link in bio! #NationalCoffeeDay #birdfriendlycoffee

LAST CALL! Registration for our Fall 2026 Master Birder cohort closes Wednesday (9/30) at 10 AM! Master Birder is Birds Georgia’s flagship education program, designed to help participants learn more about birds, their behaviors, and identification skills. The six-week program includes two virtual class sessions each week and a field trip each weekend to put new skills into practice. We’ll have two Atlanta cohorts for Fall 2026. The program runs Tuesday, October 6, through Saturday, November 14. 💰 $500 for Birds Georgia members 💰 $540 for non-members (includes a one-year membership) Ready to take your birding skills to the next level? Register today at the link in our bio ➡️

Fall migration is in full swing! Did you see any warblers over the weekend? Or maybe Rose-breasted Grosbeaks? Tell us in the comments ➡️

TURN LIGHTS OUT FOR BIRDS THIS WEEKEND! We're expecting HIGH migration activity this weekend (Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27) with MILLIONS of birds flying across Georgia. Fun fact: more than 80% of North American migratory birds (including most songbirds) migrate at night. But when they pass over brightly lit cities, they can become disoriented by artificial lights and skyglow, often causing them to collide with buildings or windows. And when birds become disoriented and keep flying instead of continuing their migration, they can become exhausted and more vulnerable to other threats in urban areas. You can help birds migrate safely just by turning out your lights this weekend! 💡 Eliminate or reduce non-essential outdoor lighting between 12 AM and 6 AM 🪟 Draw curtains or close blinds to reduce light spill from inside your home Share this post to spread the word for birds! 🐦️ 🌚

Don't you just love a bird that says its own name? You've probably been hearing the distinctive "PEE-A-WEE" call of the Eastern Wood-Pewee lately across Georgia. They're a common bird in our woodland areas. They love to perch on a dead branch and then fly out to catch insects in mid air (flycatcher style!). These birds will soon begin their migration south to South America, so get out and listen for their calls if you're birding this weekend! 📷️: Eastern Wood-Pewee photo by @susan.berthelot, a member of our Birds Georgia Photographers Network #FunFactFriday #BirdsGeorgia #GeorgiaBirds

Our Beak of the Week belongs to.. an American Avocet! This is an iconic beak. Long, slender, curved, and perfect for swishing through shallow water in search of aquatic invertebrates to eat. You can usually find these birds along the Georgia coast in wintertime, but a few made their way inland to the Hemphill Water Treatment Plant earlier this month!

Let's play Beak of the Week! Do you know who this beak belongs to? Comment here with your guess, and check our Birds Georgia account later today to see if you got it right!

**MULTI-NIGHT LIGHTS OUT ALERT** It's been a slow start to fall migration, but the birds are coming! We're expecting HIGH migration tonight (September 23), with even MORE birds expected tomorrow (September 24) and Friday (September 25). That means it's time to turn LIGHTS OUT for birds! Here's what to do: ✅️ Turn off your outdoor lights when you’re not using them, especially between the hours of 12:00 AM (midnight) and 6:00 AM. ✅️ Make sure outside lights aim down and are well-shielded so that they don’t create light trespass or glare. ✅️ Install motion sensors on your outside lights so that they’re only on when needed. ✅️ When converting outdoor lights to LED, choose warm bulbs (3,000 Kelvins or under). ✅️ Draw your blinds or curtains overnight to reduce light spill. Why it helps: -Reduces collision risk by lowering skyglow and attracting fewer birds into lit urban cores. -Conserves energy and saves money by dimming or switching off non-essential lighting during peak migration. -Improves habitat quality by keeping nocturnal environments darker for resting birds near stopover hotspots. Set a reminder now so you don't forget! You can also subscribe to get Lights Out Georgia alerts sent straight to your email by signing up at the Lights Out link in our bio ➡️

Thank you to our incredible Fall Flyway Festival sponsors for their support! @HowellConservationFund @gaforestryfdn @CafeCampesino @gaconservancy @botanicalgarden_ga @sunrise_nursery_winterville @nativeforestnursery Our Fall Flyway Festival continues this week with more events including: Thursday, September 24: Bird walk at Lionel Hampton Park Friday, September 25: Birding on Private Lands with Georgia Forestry Foundation Saturday, September 26: Chirp & Chalk at Deepdene Park Saturday, September 26: Birds & Butterflies Walk at Jekyll Island Monday, September 28: Wildlife Sanctuary Workshop at Island Ford Tuesday, September 29: Webinar: Plants for Pollinators & Birds Learn more and sign up at our link in bio ➡️

Join Birds Georgia and the @gaforestryfdn for a guided birding walk in Covington, GA! Learn about habitat stewardship on Georgia's working forests and how actions can be taken to benefit both Georgia's private landowners and the birds that rely on these spaces. Participants will see the benefits of these actions in person while exploring a portion of the 2,700 acre Little Springs Farm and its diverse habitats. Along the way, we'll enjoy a great variety of birdlife around the property, from soaring raptors to migrating warblers. A light breakfast will be provided before we venture out on our walk. Register to attend at the Fall Flyway Festival link in our bio ➡️

Just **8 spots remaining** for Master Birder Fall 2026! Master Birder is Birds Georgia's flagship education program to help enrollees learn more about birds and their behaviors. The six-week program includes two virtual class sessions each week and a field trip each weekend to put new skills into practice. We'll have two Atlanta cohorts for Fall 2026. Programs begin Tuesday, October 6, and run through Saturday, November 14. Cost for the six-week program is $500 for Birds Georgia members and $540 for non-members (includes a one-year membership). Register today at our link in bio ➡️

Sharing a few snaps from our Fall Flyway Festival Round Robin this weekend in Athens, GA! Thank you so much to our community partners, Centennial Patrons, and sponsors for making this event so special. Thank you to Heather Alley and Lauren Gingerella for fabulous breakout sessions, and to David George Haskell for a fantastic keynote address! And of course, thank you to everyone who came to Athens to celebrate birds and native plants with us!

Have you ever noticed how the wings of a Mourning Dove make a sharp whistling sound during take-off and landing? That sound is caused by their wing anatomy. The contoured shape of the flight feathers creates an audible, high-pitched vibration when the wings flutter, which makes it sound like the bird is whistling. #FunFactFriday

Our Beak of the Week belongs to... a Lesser Yellowlegs! I know, shorebirds are tricky and this one even more so since it looks so similar to the Greater Yellowlegs. The big difference here is that the Lesser Yellowlegs has a slightly shorter and more needlelike beak than the Greater Yellowlegs. It's a rare treat to see one as they migrate through Georgia. Lesser Yellowlegs may be spotted in flooded fields, mud flats, impoundments, ephemeral pools, or shallow wetlands. They are listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Georgia's State Wildlife Action Plan for 2025.

It's time to play Beak of the Week! Do you know who this bird bill belongs to? Comment here with your guess, and check our Birds Georgia account later today to see if you got it right!

Grab the kids or grandkids and visit Deepdene Park on Saturday, September 26, for our first ever Chirp and Chalk! From 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, we're inviting artists of all ages to get creative and make a chalk art design inspired by nature (perhaps a bird as your subject? 😉 ). Art supplies will be provided, and we'll have snacks and refreshments, too. Also on hand: Birds Georgia and Olmsted Linear Park Alliance staff eager to teach you more about Georgia's birds, native plants, and the ongoing habitat restoration work we're doing at Deepdene Park. We can't wait to spend the morning with you! Help us plan for this event by registering to attend at the Fall Flyway Festival link in our bio. Thanks to our partners at @olmstedlinearpark and @parkpride for making this event possible!

ACTION ALERT: Support the Roadless Rule to protect 44 million acres of national forests! For more than two decades, the Roadless Rule has protected much of our last remaining wild national forests—but now the U.S. Forest Service is planning to repeal the policy. One of the most significant conservation measures adopted to protect the national forests of the United States, the rule prohibits industrial logging and most roadbuilding within intact areas of our public forests while allowing for active management to mitigate fire risk, ensure community safety, and maintain healthy habitat. We cannot afford to lose these protections for some of our last remaining intact public lands. Join the @audubonsociety in urging the Forest Service to uphold protections for roadless areas. The deadline to add your name is September 21, 2026. Visit the link in our bio to add your name ➡️

LAST CHANCE to register for our Fall Flyway Festival Round Robin in Athens! Registration closes at 5 PM today, Monday, September 14 ⌛️ Our Round Robin is the signature event of this year’s Fall Flyway Festival, celebrating birds and the native plants the fuel fall migration! 🌱 Friday evening | 6:00 PM Join us at Sunrise Nursery for “Snack Like a Bird (without the worms!)” to shop for native plants and local art and learn more about Georgia's native plants. 🐦 Saturday | State Botanical Garden of Georgia Spend the day exploring the connections between birds and native plants! Choose from hands-on morning sessions from 8:00 to 9:30 AM, including a guided bird walk, plant walk, bird banding demonstration, and a meet & greet with author and biologist David George Haskell (for patrons). Throughout the day, shop for native plants and connect with partners including UGA’s Rushing Lab, Georgia Native Seed Network, @nabluebirdsociety, @lillybranchbirdclub, @oconeeriversaudubon, @georgiawildlife, @athens_gnps, @gaforestryfdn, @fbc.athens, @beechhollowfarms, @oconee_river_land_trust, and @birdstrikesuga. Hear from experts working at the intersection of birds, plants, and habitat: 🌿 Heather Alley will highlight the best Georgia native plants for birds 🌲 Lauren Gingerella will share how habitat restoration, through longleaf pine management and the rewilding of a former golf course, shapes bird communities in the Southeast 🧠 Gabe Andrle will put your bird and plant knowledge to the test during lunchtime trivia, with prizes up for grabs 🎤 @davidgeorgehaskell will close out the day with a keynote exploring the long relationship between birds and flowering plants and how conservation can help sustain these connections into the future Join us for this special Fall Flyway Festival weekend in Athens! Register by 5 PM today at the link in our bio ➡️

An estimated one billion birds die every year as a result of window collisions, and nearly half of those collisions happen at residential homes. Starting this fall, if you bring a collision victim to @wildnestbirdrehab in Decatur, you’ll receive a free collision prevention kit featuring a @featherfriendly window treatment and a brochure with simple steps you can take to protect birds. We’re grateful for this partnership and program, funded by a Lydia Thompson Grant from the Georgia Ornithological Society. You can make a difference for birds, too. Turn lights out at night (it’s migration season!) and treat problematic glass during the day. For the birds!

What do hummingbirds, thrushes, woodpeckers, and warblers have in common? Their favorite foods often start with native plants! Join Birds Georgia and @sunrise_nursery_winterville for an evening exploring the connection between Georgia’s native plants and the birds that depend on them. Visit interactive stations featuring nectar, berries, seeds, nuts, and insects, and discover which native plants provide these essential food sources throughout the seasons. Enjoy bird-inspired refreshments, shop for native plants and artwork from local artists, and pick up simple tips for making your own landscape more welcoming to birds and other wildlife. Keep the conversation going over an informal, pay-your-own-way dinner with Birds Georgia staff and fellow attendees at a nearby Downtown Athens restaurant. This event kicks off our Fall Flyway Festival Round Robin Weekend in Athens! Your Round Robin ticket includes Friday evening at Sunrise Nursery AND a full day of programming on Saturday at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. 🐦 Snack Like a Bird (Without the Worms!) 📅 Friday, September 18 | 6–8 PM 📍 Sunrise Nursery | Winterville, GA Join us for the whole weekend! Get your Round Robin ticket today at our link in bio.

WEATHER UPDATE: Due to rain in the forecast, Saturday's BioBlitz at Cochran Shoals has been canceled. The guided bird walk with Georgia Tech Birding Club has been delayed and will begin at 10:30 AM ET on Saturday. Stay dry, friends!

#FunFactFriday: Ever spotted a “flying cigar”? Chimney Swifts are small, fast-moving birds that spend the breeding season here in Georgia and across the Southeast. With their curved tails, shallow wingbeats, and distinctive, high-pitched chattering calls, they’re often spotted darting through the sky near lakes and rivers, sometimes foraging alongside swallows. Chimney Swifts build cup-shaped nests by weaving together small sticks, which they attach to the inside walls of chimneys or hollow trees using their glue-like saliva. They may also nest in tree cavities and caves, particularly in rural areas. Unfortunately, Chimney Swift populations are declining due to habitat loss and the capping of chimneys that provide important nesting and roosting sites. During migration, though, you may be lucky enough to witness one of their most spectacular behaviors: thousands of swifts gathering at dusk and funneling into chimneys to roost for the night, creating tornado-like flocks in the sky. Want to see this phenomenon in action? Join Birds Georgia for a Swift Night Out in Brunswick, GA on October 7! RSVP under Upcoming Events in our link in bio ➡️

Our Beak of the Week belongs to... a Royal Tern! If you’ve spent any time along the Georgia coast, you’ve likely seen this bird. You may have spotted it from the beach, flying high above the open ocean in search of small fish. Royal Terns also forage in coastal lagoons, inlets, and sounds. The bright orange bill and shaggy black crest make this seabird fairly easy to ID!

Join our flock! Birds Georgia is looking for a Habitat Program Technician to join our conservation team and help build places where birds and people thrive. This hands-on role will support habitat restoration and management projects across Georgia, including invasive species control, native plantings, prescribed fire, monitoring, equipment maintenance, and volunteer workdays. We’re looking for someone with experience, education, or training in natural resources, ecology, or land management, along with familiarity with ecological restoration, Georgia’s native and invasive plant species, and a collaborative, safety-focused approach to fieldwork. This is a full-time, Atlanta-based position ideal for someone who enjoys working outdoors, learning new skills, and getting their hands dirty for bird conservation. Learn more and apply at our link in bio ➡️

Let's play Beak of the Week! Do you know who this bird bill belongs to? Comment here with your answer, and check our Birds Georgia account later today to see if you got it right!

We’re thrilled to welcome two new members to our flock: Julie Savage and Ryene Sanders! Julie Savage joins us as our new Education Program Manager. A native of Richmond, Virginia, Julie moved to Georgia in 2022 with her spouse, Jacob, to serve as National Park Service Rangers at Cumberland Island National Seashore. They now call Macon home. Julie brings a background in wildlife and public lands management, with a focus on community engagement and volunteer coordination. She’s also an active member of the Fringed Campion Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society. Outside of work, Julie enjoys adventures with Jacob and their three dogs, two cats, and bearded dragon. They’re also expecting their first child in November! Ryene Sanders joins us as our new Development Operations Coordinator. A longtime Texan, Ryene earned a bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of North Texas and a master’s degree in art education from the University of Texas. She worked in museum and arts education before moving to Atlanta in 2023 and making a career change. Ryene is excited to find new ways to engage with Birds Georgia members and volunteers (and learn a thing or two about birds along the way)! Outside of work, you can find her watching independent films at the Plaza, baking for friends, or biking Atlanta’s many trails. Welcome to the flock, Julie and Ryene!

Quick! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a... well, actually, it is a bird. But a very exciting one: a Yellow-billed Cuckoo! This cuckoo was spotted flying overhead with a caterpillar in its bill during our recent Fall Flyway Festival birding trip to Sweetwater Creek State Park with our Director of Conservation, Gabe Andrle (@naturewithgabe). Want to go birding with Gabe (his ID skills are legendary!)? You have two more opportunities during September’s Fall Flyway Festival: 🪶 September 10: Henderson Park 🪶 September 23: Lionel Hampton Park Find these events and more on our Fall Flyway Festival page (link in bio) and sign up to join us! 📷️: Yellow-billed Cuckoo photo by Manny Faces (@somannybirds), a member of our Birds Georgia Photographers Network

Get your tickets today for Birds Georgia's Fall Flyway Festival Round Robin on September 19th at the State Botanical Garden in Athens, featuring a keynote address by writer and biologist @davidgeorgehaskell! Visit our link in bio for more details and a full event schedule ➡

Join us on Wednesday, September 9, for a free webinar all about Cumberland Dividings Bird Island! Our Coastal Conservation Coordinator Sarah Cantwell has been making regular monitoring trips to the island throughout the breeding season and has stories to share! This event is part of our Fall Flyway Festival celebrating birds and native plants all September long! Register to attend at the Fall Flyway Festival link in our bio

We've had reports of Common Nighthawk sightings in the skies over metro Atlanta and Athens this week! Common Nighthawks are members of the nightjar family and are aerial insectivores. They're easiest to spot at dawn and dusk as they catch insects on the wing. Here are two tips for an easy ID: look for the distinctive white patch on their wings, and listen for the “peent” call they make while flying overhead. #FunFactFriday

Our Beak of the Week belongs to... a Baltimore Oriole! With feathers fit for spooky season, the Baltimore Oriole is a favorite fall migrant here in Georgia. They eat both insects and fruit, often favoring ripe, dark-colored fruits. Baltimore Orioles will sometimes stick their long, pointed bills into a soft piece of fruit, then open their mouths to create a little pocket of juice to drink. This technique is called “gaping.” Attract these birds to your yard by planting fruiting native shrubs like American elderberry and red mulberry.

Let's play Beak of the Week! Can you guess who this bird bill belongs to? Comment here with your answer, and check our Birds Georgia account later today to see if you got it right!

Introducing... THE BRANCH MANAGER 🌳 This chainsaw will be put to good use by our Habitat Team as they transform restoration sites into places where native plants can grow, thrive, and support Georgia's birds! Thanks to everyone for your amazing (and very clever) naming suggestions, and to @1dothead for the winning submission! P.S. did you know you could see The Branch Manager in action if you volunteer with our Birds Georgia Habitat Program? Check out our calendar of upcoming volunteer workdays at birdsgeorgia.org/volunteer ➡️

It's September 1, and you know what that means... Fall Flyway Festival is here! 🍂🐦‍⬛ We can't wait to celebrate the season with you and enjoy the beauty of fall migration, flowering native plants, and the connections between the two. This year's lineup includes guided walks, workdays, workshops, and webinars, plus our signature Round Robin event featuring @davidgeorgehaskell. We've also added two new walks highlighting @gastateparks! Join us for a guided walk at Sweetwater Creek State Park on September 5, or head to the coast for a walk at Skidaway Island State Park on September 12. Both are excellent birding destinations and will soon be featured on the Georgia Birding Trail! Many events have limited capacity, so take a look at the lineup and sign up for your favorites today! ➡️

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are fueling up for their fall migrations! Here's how you can help them on their journeys: Plant native, nectar-producing plants! These plants provide hummingbirds with a balanced source of micro-nutrients to keep up with their fast metabolism. They love bright, tubular flowers, including coral honeysuckle, jewelweed, and red columbine! If you're putting out a feeder, be sure to place it in the shade at least 15 feet away from windows. This helps to prevent window collisions. You can make your own hummingbird solution by mixing one-part white granulated sugar to four-parts water and bring to a boil. Let it cool before filling your hummingbird feeder. Leftover solution can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. When the weather is hot, it's important to clean and refresh the solution in feeders regularly to prevent molding and fermentation. Fun fact: Ruby-throated Hummingbirds must consume more than their weight in nectar each day to maintain their energy stores!

Registration is now open for Master Birder Fall 2026! Master Birder is Birds Georgia's flagship education program to help enrollees learn more about birds and their behaviors. The six-week program includes two virtual class sessions each week and a field trip each weekend to put new skills into practice. We'll have two Atlanta cohorts for Fall 2026. Programs begin Tuesday, October 6, and run through Saturday, November 14. Cost for the six-week program is $500 for Birds Georgia members and $540 for non-members (includes a one-year membership). Space is limited! Register today at our link in bio ➡️

The Painted Bunting’s French name, Nonpareil, means “having no equal.” Truly, no other bird in Georgia has such striking colors. #FunFactFriday But despite its bright plumage, you may have to squint to see a Painted Bunting, since they can be very secretive and like to hide in low, dense vegetation. Look for Painted Buntings along Georgia’s coastal plain and occasionally further north. 📷️: Painted Bunting photo by Steve Rushing (@rushingoutdoors), a member of our Birds Georgia Photographers Network

Our Beak of the Week belongs to... a Hairy Woodpecker! The Hairy Woodpecker has a straight, chisel-like bill that’s roughly the same length as its entire head. Its bill is also slightly longer than that of the notoriously similar-looking Downy Woodpecker, and is one of the best ways to tell these two species apart! Our favorite way to remember the difference? Hairy = Huge, Downy = Dainty!

We are officially in our *Centennial Era* 💯 After 100 years (and more name changes than HBO Max), Birds Georgia has grown into a statewide leader in conservation, education, and sharing the joy of birds. Throughout 2026, we’re celebrating our legacy and launching the next 100 years with special events across the state, including: 🪶 Soaring Into Service (MLK Jr. Weekend | Jan 17–19) 🪶 2026 Bird Fest (Apr 10–May 10) 🪶 Bird Fest Summit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden (Apr 26) 🪶 Fall Flyway Festival Round Robin at the State Botanical Garden (Sept 19) 🪶 Birds & Brews events all year long 🍻 We’re also proud to share our Centennial legacy project: the Georgia Birding Trail, a statewide network of birding hotspots designed to protect habitats, boost eco-tourism, and inspire future conservationists. Birds connect us all. Join us in honoring our history – and help us build a future where birds and people thrive. #BirdsGeorgia100 #CentennialCelebration #BirdsGeorgia #BirdConservation

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